Economic unemployment for non-manual workers: new from 1 January 2016

From 1 January 2016 onwards, the employer who wishes to make use of the economic unemployment system for his non-manual workers will be able to demonstrate that his company is in difficulty by using another reference year than the year 2008.

One of the conditions to be able to use the system of economic unemployment for his non-manual workers is that the employer can demonstrate that his company is in difficulty. A company is considered to be in difficulty when it is among other things faced with a substantial decline of at least 10 % of the turnover, the production or its orders.

At present, thisreduction of 10% has to occur in one of the four quarters prior to the application for economic unemployment, compared to the same quarter of 2008.

As from 1 January 2016, the employer will be able to compare one of these four quarters to the same quarter of the year 2008 or to one of the two calendar years preceding the request.

Source: royal decree of 13 December 2015 amending the reference year used to demonstrate that the company is in difficulty within the meaning of article 77/1, §4, 1° and 3° of the Employment Contract Act of 3 July 1978, Belgian Official Gazette 22 December 2015.