Belgium: special parental leave framework created for duration of health crisis

On Saturday 2 May, Belgium’s council of ministers agreed to the creation of an exceptional parental leave framework to help parents to cope with the current situation, even though business is set to partially resume today, Monday 4 May, in the country, with lockdown being eased. The exceptional leave framework is available to parents of at least one child under the age of 12 or a disabled child (also applicable to adoptive parents and foster parents), from 1 May to 30 June. It can only be taken on a part-time basis (half-time or a fifth of time off in the case of full-time workers/ three-quarters off or less in the case of part-time workers). The system will have a retroactive effect, allowing ongoing parental leave to be converted into “corona” parental leave. This parental leave may be taken in one go, over one or several months, or over consecutive or non-consecutive weeks. To apply for such leave, the worker must give their employer three days’ notice. Shorter leave periods may also be agreed upon. The employer in question must grant their consent, which the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (CGSLB) has deplored because it means the leave is not a right like traditional parental leave. However, the allowance paid to parents will be 25% higher than that paid for traditional parental leave, as employment minister Nathalie Muylle (CD&V) specified on Sunday 3 May. The last condition is that the worker must have been under an employment contract with their current employer for at least one month. The text has been sent to the council of state, but companies can begin planning for the measure from Monday.