How can I prove that I have worked?

Tips If you have a smartphone, use it to gather evidence. To make sure you don’t lose the evidence if your smartphone is lost or stolen, store this information in the cloud.

Can I file a complaint with the inspectorate?

It is always better to take a complaint about your employer to the inspectorate, than to the police. Labour inspectors know the laws surrounding labour. They will also help you without passing your name on to Immigration Services. The police are not specialised in employment rights, so they might not be able to help you. […]

What salary am I entitled to?

General rules You are always entitled to the statutory minimum wage. Your wages must be paid to you personally at regular intervals. Only you can decide what you do with your wages. There are strict rules about paying in kind (which means paying with something other than money, such as meals or accommodation). The payment […]

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 rights even if you are no longer in Belgium or are planning to leave Belgium. It is best to take action as soon as possible. It is obviously better to take the necessary action before you […]

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 individuals looking into your file with as much information and evidence as possible. It is also important that you remain available so that they can ask any questions if anything is unclear. Make sure they can reach you by telephone, […]

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 be obliged to repay them. If you do not receive benefits, you may be fined between 80 and 800 euros. There are three exceptions, however. This fine will not be imposed if: • You personally file a complaint with […]

Am I allowed to do voluntary work?

If there is an inspection and you are found to be without legal residence, the inspectors are obliged to pass you name on to the police and immigration services. You then risk being ordered to leave the country, being admitted to a detention centre, being deported and banned from entering the European Union. At present, […]

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. May not work overtime. Is entitled to maternity leave. All women who have worked in the period before and after the birth are entitled to stay at home for a period of time (this is called […]

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 offence must be proved. In all other cases, an employer is obliged to warn you or pay your wages for this period. You may not be fired because you are pregnant or have just given birth, […]

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 a letter from the doctor and to notify your employer as soon as possible. While you are ill, you are entitled to wages for a certain period of time, but the rules governing this […]