Am I allowed to do voluntary work?

At present, there is a policy of tolerance. This means that organisations who have volunteers with no legal residence are not being prosecuted. There is no guarantee of this, of course. This policy of tolerance may be revoked at any time and the organisation may still be prosecuted. If you do work as a volunteer […]

Do I have to keep working if I’m pregnant?

A pregnant woman: All women who have worked in the period before and after the birth are entitled to stay at home for a period of time (this is called maternity leave). If you work off the books, you will not be able to claim benefits for this period. It is important you get enough […]

Is my employer allowed to fire me without warning?

You may only be fired on the spot, if you have committed a serious offence (theft, for example). The offence must be proved. In all other cases, an employer is obliged to warn you or pay your wages for this period. You may not be fired because you are pregnant or have just given birth, […]

What if I’m too ill to go to work?

How many hours do I have to work?

• If you are working full time, your employer normally allows you to work a maximum of 38 hours per week.• If you work more hours than this, this is considered overtime. You must be paid a higher wage for these extra working hours (from 40 hours).• Your employer is never allowed to ask you […]

How should the employer pay your wages?

Which agreements should I reach with my employer before I start working?

If you work legally, the agreements between employer and employee are generally put down on paper, i.e. a written ’employment contract’ or ’employment agreement’. This contains the names of the employer and the employee, the kind of work, the working hours and the wage amount. The contract must be signed by both you and the […]

I work as self-employed or as an active partner. What does this mean?

The employment rights described on this website only apply to employees. Anyone working for themselves is self-employed, and as such, cannot claim rights regarding a minimum wage or compensation for a workplace accident. In addition, people who are self-employed are personally responsible for their Social Security contributions and taxes. It is also a punishable offence […]

How can I enforce my employment rights?

Can I take my employer to court?

Personally claiming damages in a court case If, following the inspectorate’s investigation, the case appears to be sufficiently serious, the inspector may draw up a report (a record) and submit it to the court. It will then be decided whether your employer has to appear before a judge or not. If your employer is convicted, […]