Belgium: social partners agree to reform time credit

Time credit for no motive.  In Belgium, time credit allows suspending, totally or temporarily, one’s labor contract.  It can be combined with other leaves, such as parental leave or a leave to care for a parent.  There are three types of time credit leaves: with motive – to raise children, to care for a sick parent –, without motive and time credit at the end of one’s career.  Over the years, the multiplication of systems started to burden businesses’ personnel management and social security, which is partly paying for the time credit.  After government negotiations last fall and in keeping with the social partners’ new collective agreement, time credit for no motive, which could last up to 5 years until now, is now limited to the equivalent of one year throughout the career (i.e. 12 months full time, or 24 months part time by 3-month periods, or 60 months of 1/5th career reduction by 6-month periods).  Any worker with 5 years’ professional experience and in the same company for 24 months can ask for it.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

(i.e. 12 months full time, or 24 months part time by 3-month periods, or 60 months of 1/5th career reduction by 6-month periods). Any worker with 5 years’ professional experience and in the same company for 24 months can ask for it.


Time credit with motive and at the end of the career. Workers can also get a 36-month time credit with motive (as opposed to 48 months before) to take care of children under the age of 8, care for a sick parent, or attend training. For this system, spending 2...

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
Italy: decree-law adopted to increase workplace safety
On 28 October, the Italian cabinet adopted a decree-law on health and safety at work, aimed at preventing and reducing accidents. The text addresses both the powers and actions of supervisory...
4 November 2025
Romania: parents of children with disabilities granted up to eight days of remote work per month
On 9 October, the Romanian parliament adopted a bill aiming to bolster support for parents of children with disabilities up to the age of 18. The legislation, which came into force on 12 October...
Carrefour and UNI Global Union renew global agreement on promoting social dialogue and diversity
On 17 October, Carrefour, one of the world’s largest retailers, with nearly 500,000 employees worldwide, and global union federation UNI Global Union renewed their global agreement on...
mind RH analysis – Initial findings from CSRD social indicators
In 2025, for the first time, the universal registration documents of major European companies contain the sustainability reporting required by the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive...
31 October 2025
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Candice Guillot (Talan): “Our recruiters save just over 80 hours per year on administrative tasks thanks to AI”
Candice Guillot, group director of employee experience and HR performance at Talan (7,000 employees), outlines for mind RH her vision and strategy for introducing artificial intelligence at the...
20 October 2025
2
France: insurance sector becomes first to sign agreement on employment of older workers
On 25 June 2025, France Assureurs – the employers’ association for the insurance industry – and five representative trade unions signed the sector’s first three-year agreement aimed at promoting...