Belgium: Employment and HR

Belgian employers approaching the 50- or 100-worker threshold face a critical decision point: the 2028 social elections may seem distant, but the reference period for calculating workforce averages has already begun. Every hiring and departure between October 2026 and September 2027 directly impacts whether your company must organize mandatory employee representative elections. Understanding these calculations and their strategic implications is essential for workforce planning in the coming months.

Employers planning workforce reductions in Australia and New Zealand face distinct legal frameworks that require careful navigation. While both jurisdictions mandate genuine business reasons and employee consultation, critical differences in timing, process requirements, and redeployment obligations can significantly impact restructuring outcomes. Understanding these nuances is essential for organizations managing cross-border redundancy programs to minimize legal risk and operational disruption.

This regional report examines recent labour law changes across the Americas, highlighting key developments in workforce planning, employment status classification, and regulatory reforms. From Argentina's new hiring incentives to working time reductions in Brazil and Mexico, discover how these legislative shifts are reshaping employment practices and compliance requirements throughout the region.

This comprehensive global map reveals which countries mandate employers to report, maintain, or provide gender pay information, distinguishing between public reporting requirements, non-public obligations...

Artificial intelligence is transforming workforce management across Asia-Pacific, yet most jurisdictions rely on existing employment and data protection laws rather than AI-specific legislation. Governments supplement these frameworks with ethical principles and voluntary guidance, though recent developments in Australia and Malaysia suggest a shift toward more targeted oversight of AI systems that significantly impact workers.

Belgium has partially implemented the EU Pay Transparency Directive for its public sector, but private-sector employers await comprehensive federal legislation. While the transposition timeline remains uncertain, the Directive provides a clear framework for anticipated requirements including recruitment transparency, objective pay structures, employee information rights, and gender pay gap reporting that employers should begin preparing for now.

Employees working across borders often continue their existing pension schemes during temporary foreign employment, but this seemingly straightforward practice raises critical tax considerations that are frequently overlooked. When foreign pension contributions fail to meet specific exemption criteria under Belgian tax law, they may be treated as taxable income, potentially leading to economic double taxation at the payment stage. Recent guidance from Dutch tax authorities on their "balance scheme" mechanis

Recent labor law reforms in Belgium aim to modernize and increase flexibility in the legal framework, impacting the entire employment relationship cycle from working time organization to human resources management. This thematic analysis examines key changes in employee benefits and pension bonus plans, highlighting practical implications for businesses navigating the government's push toward more attractive and transparent compensation policies.

Belgium's 2025-2029 pension reform introduces significant changes to early retirement eligibility and implements a new bonus-malus system designed to incentivize longer working careers. The reforms increase the minimum working days required for pensionable years from 104 to 156 FTE days and establish financial rewards for postponing retirement beyond statutory age while penalizing early retirement with insufficient career years.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup captivates fans worldwide, employers across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg face a unique workplace challenge: employees arriving exhausted after late-night matches. This analysis examines whether falling asleep at work due to World Cup-related fatigue constitutes grounds for immediate dismissal, exploring the legal frameworks and thresholds for gross misconduct in each jurisdiction. The article also addresses critical data protection risks that arise when fatigued employ

Restructuring exercises in Malaysia, Singapore and India require careful attention to legal compliance, employee communication and procedural fairness. Through analysis of recent case law including Lazada, AirAsia X and Salunkhe decisions, this article examines how poor execution can trigger regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage and costly reinstatement orders.

Stock options and share awards have become integral components of senior employee compensation packages, but what happens to these equity-based benefits when employment ends? This comprehensive analysis examines how 29 countries worldwide handle the inclusion of stock options, RSUs, and other share awards in severance pay calculations, revealing significant variations in legal approaches and employer obligations.