Since 2011, the Federal Public Service for Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue has published quarterly statistics on collective redundancies on their website. The number of collective redundancies announced at the end of September 2020 is already remarkably high: 6,811 workers. Compared to previous years, this is a clear increase. The coronavirus crisis is making itself felt, as expected, in the loss of jobs.

Since the Coronavirus crisis, many companies have been struggling with temporary unemployment. The social partners reached a collective labour agreement in order to simplify access to temporary unemployment due to economic effects. The simplified procedure for temporary unemployment provides clarity for employers and employees.

A company gets sold, in full or in part. That invariably makes employees nervous. Fortunately, there is no need to panic: the new bosses must fully respect existing employment contracts.

A heavy smoker might be tempted to light a cigarette in the company car or outside on the company premises. However, the Smoking Ban Act of 22 December 2009 has firmly called a halt to this indulgence.

The motives that the legislator provides for recruitment through employment agencies are clear: it must involve temporary situations, whereby the company has an acute personnel shortage and this is remedied by taking on agency staff. In reality, however, agency work has evolved considerably to become a highly efficient means of recruitment.