Wage agreement 2023-2024: what does it provide?

The federal government reached a compromise on the wage agreement 2023-2024 last Monday.

The measures announced include among other things:

• the setting of the wage standard at 0% for 2023-2024 (outside indexation);
• the possibility for certain companies to grant a one-off premium, known as the ‘purchasing power premium’, to workers in 2023;
• an increase in the minimum wage through the work bonus.

As for the ‘purchasing power premium’, it is provided:

• that its amount does not exceed € 500 or € 750 per worker, depending on whether the company achieved good results or made exceptionally high profits in 2022;
• that its implementation is subject to an agreement at sector level or, failing that, at company level;
• that it is tax-exempt for the worker but deductible (100%) for the employer;
• that it is subject to a special employer’s contribution of 16.5%.

Important note! These measures still have to be transposed into legal or regulatory texts.

We will keep you updated as soon as we have more details.

Sources :premier.be; press.