Joint Committee 144 - Convert your eco vouchers? Time for action!

As an employer of the joint committee (JC) 144 (agriculture), you grant eco vouchers to your employees (together with the end-of-year bonus) every year in December. But maybe you prefer to reward your employees with a different benefit? This in possible within the JC 144!

Eco vouchers in JC 144

Full-time employees with a full reference period will be entitled to eco vouchers worth EUR 250. Occasional employees (art. 8bis of the Royal Decree of 28.11.1969) are not entitled to eco vouchers.

For part-time employees or employees with an incomplete reference period the amount will be prorated.

The eco vouchers are calculated, ordered and coordinated by the Social Fund.

More details and a comprehensive analysis can be found in our sector information on our website (sector document JC 144 – eco vouchers).

Conversion into another benefit

This joint committee provides for the possibility to convert eco vouchers in another benefit, the cost of which is the countervalue of EUR 250.

Which benefits?

In principle, different alternatives for the eco vouchers are possible, including:

• the introduction or improvement of an existing collective hospitalization insurance policy;
• the introduction or improvement of an existing supplementary pension scheme at company level;
• the introduction of meal vouchers or the increase of their facial value by e.g. EUR 1 per luncheon voucher. Comment: In our LegalSmart webshop you can find a sample document. Legal all-in customers can ask their legal officer to send them this sample document.

How?

The conversion is laid down in a collective labour agreement. The negotiations can only relate to the conversion of eco vouchers.

You then inform the social fund of your decision before 15 October.

When no company CLA is concluded and deposited at the Social Fund before 15 October, the sector provisions for eco vouchers will continue to apply. This implies that you will have to grant eco vouchers to your employees at the end of 2018.

For guidance and advice on the conversion of eco vouchers, contact our Legal Partners, any time (legalpartners@partena.be or call 02/549.30.20).

Source: Collective labour agreement of 15 June 2017: eco vouchers (registration number 140.734), effective as from 01.07.2017 for an indefinite duration.

Author: Leen Lafourt

05/09/2018