| Working hours and industry restrictions | | |
| Can women work the same night hours as men? | Yes | No restrictions could be located.
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| Can women work in the same industries as men? | Yes | No restrictions could be located.
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| Can pregnant women and nursing mothers work the same number of hours as men and other women? | No | Loi sur le Travail du 16 Mars 1971, Art. 44
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| Parental benefits: leave | | |
| Does the law mandate paid or unpaid maternity leave? | Yes | Loi sur le Travail du 16 Mars 1971, Art. 39
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| Does the law mandate paid or unpaid paternity leave? | Yes | Loi Relative aux Contrats de Travail , Art. 30.2
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| Does the law mandate paid or unpaid parental leave? | Yes | Arrêté royal relatif à l'introduction d'un droit au congé parental dans le cadre d'une interruption de la carrière professionnelle, Art. 2
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| Parental benefits: length | | |
| What is the mandatory minimum length of paid maternity leave (in calendar days)? | 105 | Loi sur le Travail du 16 Mars 1971, Art. 39
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| What is the mandatory minimum length of unpaid maternity leave (in calendar days)? | 0 | No applicable provisions could be located.
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| What is the mandatory minimum length of paid paternity (in calendar days)? | 10 | Loi Relative aux Contrats de Travail , Art. 30.2
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| What is the mandatory minimum length of unpaid paternity leave (in calendar days)? | 0 | No applicable provisions could be located.
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| What is the mandatory minimum length of paid parental leave (in calendar days)? | 90 | Arrêté royal relatif à l'introduction d'un droit au congé parental dans le cadre d'une interruption de la carrière professionnelle, Art. 2
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| Where parental leave exists, is there a minimum number of days which must be taken by the mother (in calendar days)? | 0 | |
| Where parental leave exists, is there a minimum number of days which must be taken by the father (in calendar days)? | 0 | |
| Parental benefits: wages | | |
Maternity leave is 105 days. For the first 30 days it is paid at a rate of 79.5 % of the wage, for the remaining 75 days at 75%.
What percentage of wages is paid during maternity leave? | 76 % | |
| What percentage of wages is paid during paternity leave? | 87.4 % | |
The payment amounts provided for in this law are updated by decree as necessary. What percentage of wages is paid during parental leave? | Partially paid | Arrêté royal relatif à l'octroi d'allocations d'interruption du 2 Janvier 1991, Art. 6
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| Parental benefits: who pays? | | |
Who pays maternity leave benefits? | Government | Arrêté royal portant exécution de la loi relative à l'assurance obligatoire soins de santé et indemnités, coordonnée le 14 juillet 1994, Titre III
Loi Relative à l'Assurance Obligatoire Soins de Santé et Indemnités, Coordonnée le 14 Juillet 1994, Art. 10 |
| Who pays paternity leave benefits? | Employer and government | Loi Relative aux Contrats de Travail , Art. 30.2
Arrêté royal portant exécution de la loi relative à l'assurance obligatoire soins de santé et indemnités, coordonnée le 14 juillet 1994, Art. 223bis Sec. 2 |
The benefits are paid by the Belgian Unemployment Agency. Who pays parental leave benefits? | Government | Arrêté royal relatif à l'octroi d'allocations d'interruption du 2 Janvier 1991, Art. 6
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| Parental benefits: protection of mothers | | |
| Are there laws penalizing or preventing the dismissal of pregnant women? | Yes | Loi sur le travail du 16 mars 1971 (original language), Art. 40
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| Are employers required to provide break time for nursing mothers? | Yes | Convention collective de travail n° 80 instaurant un droit aux pauses d'allaitement modifiée par la convention collective de travail n° 80 bis (original language), art. 3, 9-10
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| Parental benefits: return from leave | | |
| Are there laws obligating the employer to give the employee the same job when she returns from maternity leave? | Yes | Loi sur le Travail du 16 mars 1971 (original language), Art. 39
Loi relative aux Contrats de Travail du 3 juillet 1978 (original language), Art. 28 |
| Are there laws obligating the employer to give the employee the same job when he returns from paternity leave? | Yes | Loi relative aux Contrats de Travail du 3 juillet 1978 (original language), Art. 30
Loi relative à la conciliation entre l'emploi et la qualité de vie (original language), Art. 27 |
| Are there laws obligating the employer to give the employee the same job when she/he returns from parental leave? | Yes | |
| Retirement and pensions | | |
| What is the statutory retirement age for men in the private sector? | 65 | Arrêté royal portant exécution des articles 15, 16 et 17 de la loi du 26 juillet 1996 portant modernisation de la sécurité sociale et assurant la viabilité des régimes légaux des pensions (Dec, 23, 1996), Art. 2
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| What is the statutory retirement age for women in the private sector? | 65 | Arrêté royal portant exécution des articles 15, 16 et 17 de la loi du 26 juillet 1996 portant modernisation de la sécurité sociale et assurant la viabilité des régimes légaux des pensions (Dec, 23, 1996), Art. 2
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| What is the minimum pensionable age for men in the private sector? | 60 | Arrêté royal portant exécution des articles 15, 16 et 17 de la loi du 26 juillet 1996 portant modernisation de la sécurité sociale et assurant la viabilité des régimes légaux des pensions (Dec, 23, 1996), Art. 4 Secs. 1 and 2
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| What is the minimum pensionable age for women in the private sector? | 60 | Arrêté royal portant exécution des articles 15, 16 et 17 de la loi du 26 juillet 1996 portant modernisation de la sécurité sociale et assurant la viabilité des régimes légaux des pensions (Dec, 23, 1996), Art. 4 Secs. 1 and 2
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| In the private sector, is it mandatory to retire at the statutory retirement age? | No | No applicable provisions could be located.
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| Legal rights in the workplace | | |
| Are there laws or constitutional provisions mandating equal pay for equal work? | Yes | Convention collective de travail n° 25 sur l'égalité de rémunération entre les travailleurs masculins et les travailleurs féminins (original language), Art. 1
Loi du 10 mai 2007 tendant à lutter contre certaines formes de discrimination (original language), Art. 5 Para. 2(2), and Art. 19 |
| Are there laws mandating nondiscrimination in hiring practices on the basis of gender? | Yes | Loi du 10 mai 2007 tendant à lutter contre certaines formes de discrimination (original language), Arts. 5 Para. 2(1), 19
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| Are there laws protecting employees from sexual harassment in the workplace? | Yes | Loi du 4 août 1996 relative au bien-être des travailleurs lors de l'exécution de leur travail (original language), Art. 32bis - 32tredecies
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| Is it illegal to ask questions about a prospective employee’s family status during a job interview? | No | No restrictions could be located.
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To take care of his/her child, a worker has the right to suspend his/her activity for 3 months, or work part-time for 6 months, or work 4/5 time for 15 months. Do employees with minor children have any additional legal rights to a flexible or a part-time work schedule? | Yes | Arrêté royal du 29 octobre 1997 relatif à l'introduction d'un droit au congé parental dans le cadre de l'interruption de carrière, modifié (original language), Art. 2
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