How long is parental leave in Belgium?

In Belgium, all employees are entitled to take parental leave for up to 4 months at any time during the first 12 years after the birth or adoption of a child.

Parental leave can be taken in one of the following ways:

• Full-time suspension of work for a period of 4 months.
• Half-time reduction of work during a period of 8 months (to be taken in periods of at least 2 months).
• One-fifth reduction of work hours during a period of 20 months (to be taken in periods of at least 5 months).
• One-tenth of the normal number of working hours in a full-time working regime.

Additionally, employees can prorate the 4-month parental leave period by reducing their work time by 10% for 40 months with the agreement of the employer.

How is parental leave payment calculated in Belgium?

Parental leave benefit allowances in Belgium are paid by the Belgian Unemployment Office.

What is the process for applying for paternity leave in Belgium?

To apply for paternity leave in Belgium, a supported employee must:

• Inform their employer about their request to take birth leave.
• Provide the employer with the birth certificate, which is necessary for the application.
• Notify their personal health insurance fund.

How long is maternity leave in Belgium?

Female employees in Belgium are entitled to the following maternity leave:

Prenatal Leave:

• 6 weeks of paid leave immediately prior to the expected date of childbirth (8 weeks if expecting more than one child).
• The employee must begin maternity leave no later than 7 days before the due date. The remainder of the prenatal leave is optional.
• If the full amount of available prenatal leave is not taken, the remaining leave can be added to the post-childbirth leave period.

Postnatal Leave:

• 9 weeks of paid leave following childbirth, plus any remaining prenatal leave.
• An employee may choose to reserve 2 weeks of unused prenatal leave and take this leave at any time within the first 8 weeks after returning to work.

Extended Leave:

• If childbirth requires hospitalization for more than 7 days, maternity leave may be extended by the duration of the hospitalization, up to a maximum of 24 weeks post-childbirth.

What is the process for applying for maternity leave in Belgium?

To apply for maternity leave in Belgium, the supported employee must follow these steps:

• Provide the employer with a medical attestation indicating the probable date of delivery and the date the supported employee plans to start the leave.
• Notify their health insurance fund on time, or at the latest, at the beginning of the 6 weeks preceding the delivery.

Maternity leave in Belgium consists of two parts:

• Before the birth: A maximum of 6 weeks, with 1 week being mandatory.
• After the birth: A minimum of 9 weeks, which is mandatory to take.

How long is the paternity leave in Belgium?

Fathers in Belgium are entitled to 10 days of paid paternity leave, which must be taken within 4 months after the birth of their child.

How is paternity leave payment calculated in Belgium?

In Belgium, paternity leave is fully paid. The first 3 days of the leave are covered by the employer, while the remaining days are paid by social security.

What is the process for applying for parental leave in Belgium?

To apply for parental leave in Belgium, the following process must be followed:

• The parental leave request must be made in writing by the employee to the employer at least 2 months and no more than 3 months in advance. This can be done via email or a standard letter.
• Both the employee and the employer must complete the application.
• The completed documents should be submitted to the RVA (Rijksdienst voor Arbeidsvoorziening) in the Flemish region or ONEM (Office National de l'Emploi) in the French region. Submission can be done online.
• The National Employment Office will process and check the documents and notify whether the request is approved or rejected.

For further information, please visit the respective RVA or ONEM website.