Teleworking no longer mandatory, nor recommended
In our newsletter of February 17, 2022 we informed you that teleworking was no longer mandatory in Belgium as from February 18, 2022, but was still recommended. In the meantime, it was published in the Belgian Official Gazette that teleworking is no longer recommended since March 17, 2022.
Temporary unemployment due to force majeure: extension until June 30, 2022 and new type of temporaryunemployment in the context of the war in Ukraine
The government has decided to extend the simplified procedure for temporary unemployment “Corona” (“corona unemployment”) to June 30, 2022. This has been confirmed by the Unemployment Office (RVA/ONEM) in the meantime.
You can find more information regarding the conditions for employers who wish use corona unemployment in our newsletter of November 09, 2020.
In addition, the government has decided that companies affected by the economic sanctions in the context of the war in Ukraine can use the same simplified procedure as for corona unemployment from April 1, 2022 until June 30, 2022. Reasons to use this type of temporary unemployment due to force majeure include among others: the lack of raw material, the loss of a part of the sales market, the need to limit the production due to expensive energy prices, etc. As is the case for corona unemployment, the execution of the employment contract can be fully or partially suspended.
For the scheme of temporary unemployment due to force majeure caused by the war in Ukraine, the same modalities apply as for corona unemployment. We would like to remind you that you need to take the following steps as an employer if you use one of these types of temporary unemployment:
Inform your employees in writing prior to the start of temporary unemployment about:
- the period of corona unemployment;
- the number of days during which the employee will be temporarily unemployed and, in the event of partial unemployment, the number of days the employee is expected to work.
Let your Payroll Business Partner know which type of temporary unemployment (“Corona” or “Ukraine”) you are using as well as the days your employees will work and which days they are unemployed.
Pro-Pay takes care of the required electronic registration of these unemployment days, which allows the Unemployment Office (RVA/ONEM) to determine the unemployment allowance for the employee.