Your rights - Fairwork Belgium

I haven’t been paid

You’ve the same employment rights as any other employee in Belgium even if you are working off the books…

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What are my employment rights?

Everyone who works as an employee in Belgium has the same employment rights. Even if you have no legal re...

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Can I arrange my residence through work?

Regularisation through employment does not exist in Belgium. ...

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Am I allowed to work in Belgium?

Whether or not you are allowed to work in Belgium depends on your residence rights and whether you are st...

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I have had an accident at work. What happens now?

Never take unnecessary risks. The employer is obliged to create a safe and healthy work environment. If a...

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How can I prove that I have worked?

Documentary evidence of your employment is very important. Particularly if you have no w...

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Can I file a complaint with the inspectorate?

Labour inspectorates are safe places. Their primary task is to protect the rights of employees. That mean...

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What salary am I entitled to?

Here we explain what you should earn as a minimum. There are also rules about how your employer must pay ...

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Can I still take action against my employer if I am no longer in Belgium?

Did you work in Belgium and were your employment rights not respected? If so, you can still enforce your…

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If I file a complaint, will I have to stay in Belgium?

For the purposes of the investigation, it is obviously important to provide the organisation or individua…

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Can I be fined for working off the books?

If you have legal residence and you have received benefits (unemployment, a living allowance…), you may…

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Am I allowed to do voluntary work?

Important! If you have no legal residence, you may not carry out volunt...

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

A pregnant woman: May not be fired because she is pregnant. May not do perform kinds of dangerous work. M…

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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 offe…

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What if I’m too ill to go to work?

Anyone who is too ill to work is allowed to stay at home without losing their job. You will however, need…

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How many hours do I have to work?

You'll find the general rules with regard to the number of hours you're allowed to work, here. There are ...

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How should the employer pay your wages?

Your employer should generally transfer your ...

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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…

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I work as a self-employed person or active partner. What does that mean?

A self-employed person is someone who works for themself and is therefore their own boss....

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How can I enforce my employment rights?

We often refer to the employment rights that every employee benefits from. It is important that they're t...

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Can I take my employer to court?

You can take your employer to court yourself. You will need the necessary ...

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What should I do if the inspectorate catches me during an inspection?

The inspectorate may independently decide to carry out an inspection in the workplace. ...

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Can I join a trade union?

Employees with no legal residence can still join a trade union. Your name will not be passed on to the go...

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What if I am the victim of violence or abuse?

You retain rights as an employee, even if you are working without legal residence. You are also entitled ...

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What is human trafficking?

If an employer seriously abuses an employee (clandestinely), this may be a case of human trafficking. If…

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What is the risk for my employer if I have no documents?

An employer may be heavily penalised if they have people working off the books or clandestinely. There ma…

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What steps can I take to enforce my rights?

Before you take any other steps, it's important to gather ...

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Employees and employers: what’s the difference?

Which rights you have depends on which status you have. Make sure it is always clear about the situation ...

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What is working legally?

Every employer is obliged to inform the government of who works for them and how much they pay in wages….

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What is working off the books?

Working off the books is when an employer doesn’t register you with the government. Your employer risks a…

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What is working off the books?

Working off the books is working as a non-Belgium in Belgium, without permission to work in Belgium. If y…

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What is stealth work?

Stealth work is when someone works as a self-employed person but hasn’t officially been recognised as sel…

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Is there medical help for people without legal residence?

If you are unable to pay for medical help and you have no residence permit, you can invoke the 'U...

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How can I find a job?

If you are in Belgium but you have no legal residence, you are not allowed to work in Be...

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How can FAIRWORK Belgium help you?

FAIRWORK Belgium is an organisation with more than...

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What should I do if...

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