An enhanced status for volunteers?

One million volunteers are likely to benefit from an enhanced, clarified status from this autumn.
This measure is primarily aimed at volunteers working for associations in the socio-cultural, social action, healthcare, youth and sports sectors.

The status of volunteers is governed by the Law of 3 July 2005 on the Rights of Volunteers. The objective of this legislation is the protection of volunteers.

However, it should be noted that, in practice, difficulties remain owing to issues with interpreting certain articles of this law.

Several changes to the status of volunteers have therefore been proposed by Ministers Maggie De Block and Kris Peeters to resolve these uncertainties.

They concern the following points, among others:

• The bicycle allowance that volunteers would be able to avail themselves of in the same way as salaried workers;
• The occasional gifts offered to volunteers which, subject to certain conditions, would no longer be considered income, nor taken into account for the expense reimbursement limits;

• Professional secrecy to which volunteers would be subject within the limits specified by the organisations that “employ” them.

These proposals are currently being examined by the Belgian High Council for Volunteers and by the Belgian National Labour Council.

Sources: An enhanced status for 1 million volunteers in Belgium, press release, 1 March 2017, www.deblock.belgium.be; website of the Belgian Higher Council for Volunteers, conseilsuperieurvolontaires.belgium.be.

Author: Catherine Mairy

07/04/2017