Primary prevention of burn-out at work: subsidies for pilot projects

The law of 26 March 2018 on strengthening economic growth and social cohesion provides for the financing of projects aiming at the primary prevention of burn-out. The projects are financed by part of the social contribution for 'risk groups'.
On 15 June 2018, a draft Royal Decree was approved in this context by the Council of Ministers.

This text describes the conditions, procedure and arrangements for granting a subsidy; they are also described on the website of the National Labour Council.

Which projects?

The projects covered are the pilot projects that 'aim for an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to the psychosocial risks at work and burn-out in particular'.

The projects in question must be of a maximum duration of 1 year and must focus on the prevention of burn-out at work by means of collective measures (information and awareness-raising, identification and implementation of prevention measures, evaluation of these measures, etc.).

No actions should be implemented that have already been carried out.

Are also excluded, (particularly) the execution of a psychosocial risk analysis and the individual counselling of employees who are victims of burn-out.

Who can apply for a subsidy?

Subsidies for projects that aim at the primary prevention of burn-out at work can be applied for by:

• all employers (mainly) in the private sector (irrespective of the size of the enterprise)
• and the Joint Committees.

Procedure

The subsidy application (in 2018) must be submitted electronically via the website of the National Labour Council by 15 September 2018 at the latest.

Amount

The flat-rate amount of the subsidy shall not exceed EUR 8,000 excl. VAT per project.

When appropriate, the subsidy will be granted by the Minister of Work until the available budget is used up, after examination of the application and on the basis of a well-grounded advice from the National Labour Council.

Other projects

Next to the projects aiming at the primary prevention of burn-out at work referred to above, there are other projects such as:

• the project that will be launched by Fedris in November 2018 for a counselling pathway for employees threatened or affected by early burn-out due to work-related psychosocial risks, in the sectors of financial services (except insurance and pension funds) and hospital activitiesor medical careunder private status or PLA (provincial and local authorities);
• projects based on the objectives set out in the action plan conducted as part of the integrated and coordinated policy to prevent work-related mental illness, including burn-out. Are meant, the pilot projects conducted by the actors active in the prevention and treatment of work-related mental illnesses (authorities, institutions, companies, training institutes, internal and external prevention services, etc.); the closing date of the application is 21 September 2018, according to a press release of Maggie De Block of 26 June 2018.

Sources: law of 26 March 2018 on strengthening economic growth and social cohesion, Belgian Official Gazette of 30 March 2018; www.cnt-nar.be; www.werk.belgie.be.

Author: Catherine Mairy

18/07/2018