What are Work Regulations in Belgium?

What are work regulations in Belgium?

Work regulations (règlement de travail in French, arbeidsreglement in Dutch) are the document every Belgian employer must have to set out the working conditions in the company, such as working hours, how pay is calculated and paid, notice rules and penalties. The obligation comes from the Law of 8 April 1965 and applies whatever the size of the business.

What they must contain

The law lists the mandatory content, including:

working hours and schedules;
how work is measured, and how, when and where pay is made;
notice periods and termination procedures;
penalties, the amount of fines and the misconduct they sanction;
where first aid and the first-aid kit can be found;
annual leave and the right to training;
the social security body that collects contributions and the address of the labour inspectorate;
the collective agreements that apply.

How they are adopted

Without a works council, the employer posts the draft and employees have 15 days to note comments in a register or send them to the Social Law Inspectorate. With no comments, the regulations take effect on the 15th day after posting. If there are comments, the inspector tries to reach agreement within 30 days, and the joint committee decides if that fails.

Where there is a works council, the council adopts the regulations, and they take effect 15 days after its agreement. Changes follow the same procedure, with some exceptions such as temporary changes to daily start and end times.

Filing and copies

The employer must send a copy to the regional office of the Social Law Inspectorate within 8 days of the regulations taking effect, which can be done online. A copy must be available at every workplace, and each employee must receive one when they start and after every change. Employees who have not received a copy are not bound by the regulations, so employers should keep proof of delivery. Having no work regulations is an offence under the Social Penal Code.

Work regulations when you hire through an EOR

When you hire through TopSource as your Employer of Record in Belgium, the employee is covered by the legal employer’s work regulations from day one. We give them a copy when they start, make sure the hours and rules that apply to their role are included, and update the document when they change.

Frequently asked questions

Do small employers in Belgium need work regulations?

Yes. The obligation applies from the first employee, whatever the size of the business.

When do work regulations take effect?

Without a works council and with no comments from employees, on the 15th day after the draft is posted. With a works council, 15 days after the council agrees them.

What happens if an employee did not receive a copy?

The employee is not bound by the regulations, so the employer cannot rely on the rules they set out, such as penalties. Employers should keep written proof that each employee received a copy.

Work Regulations (Belgium)