Walloon Region: minimum duration required for the measures “Impulsions”

From July 1, 2023, the Walloon Region will implement two legislative changes regarding the support measures "Impulsions”.

Additional condition to the employment contract

The support measures "Impulsions” are two unemployment benefits activation measures that employers can avail of when they hire an unemployed job seeker registered as such with the Forem:

• “Impulsion” 12 months+: for long-term job seekers
• “Impulsion” - 25 years: for low-skilled or middle-skilled young job seekers

Until now, the legislation did not set any conditions relating to the employment contract. From 1 July 2023, employers wishing to benefit from one of these two measures must hire the person:

• either with an employment contract for an indefinite period
• or with a fixed-term employment contract of at least 2 months.

This condition applies only to hirings as of 1 July 2023.

Practical details

In order to obtain activation of unemployment benefits for their employer, workers must submit an application for benefits to their payment body.

This is not required if the worker is rehired by the same employer within a period of 12 months. 

This rule will be abolished from 1 July 2023: workers will have to reapply for benefits each time they are rehired.

Source: Decree of 21 December 2022 containing the general expenditure budget of the Walloon Region for the financial year 2023, Belgian Official Journal  08.03.2023.