Statistics on collective redundancies

- Filip Tilleman
Since 2011, the Belgian Federal Public Service Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue has published quarterly statistics on collective redundancies on the website employment.belgium.be. The number of collective redundancies announced in 2018 was around 6,027. This represents an increase compared with the remarkably low figure of 3,829 in 2017. In 2019, the number went back up again in line with 2018, reaching 5,087 announced collective redundancies.

Severance pay for part-time work

- Filip Tilleman
What effect does part-time work have on the calculation of severance pay in the event of dismissal? By definition, a part-time employee has a lower salary than a colleague who does the same job full-time, but does this also apply to severance pay?

Should the employer have to justify the employee's dismissal?

- Filip Tilleman
Contrary to what many may think, Belgian labour law does require employers to formally justify a dismissal. Employees can be dismissed verbally or in writing with the 'simple' announcement that they will be dismissed from a certain date. So without any detail about the motives that played a role in this dismissal. Are employees always left out in the cold when they are dismissed?

Should you pay severance pay immediately or not?

- Filip Tilleman
When an employee is dismissed, the employer may opt for immediate dismissal, without the employee in question having to carry out any more work, or for dismissal with the employee having to work their notice. During a notice period, the employment contract continues as usual and the salary is paid at the normal times. In the event of immediate dismissal, the employer is held to pay a severance payment.

Dismissal for absenteeism

- Filip Tilleman
An employee simply fails to turn up for work. Her employer is not even informed. No form of justification, such as a medical certificate, is forthcoming. In response, the employer sends a letter by recorded delivery requesting that the employee presents herself again for work immediately or justifies her absence.