Are companies allowed to exclude employees from the workplace if they have not (yet) been vaccinated? 'Only a legal framework can shed light on this matter,' says Employment Lawyer Filip Tilleman.

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 pandemic such as a coronavirus (COVID-19) has a significant impact on our professional lives. We, therefore, answer some pressing questions. How to fight the virus in the workplace? What to do if a colleague becomes infected? What if I am infected myself? Do I still have to come to work? Am I entitled to my regular wages?