written by
Sylvie Floor

Reinstatement of temporary unemployment due to force majeure (Belgium)

3 min read

Dear colleagues,

The Belgian government has reinstated the possibility for all companies in Belgium to apply temporary unemployment due to force majeure for blue-collar and white-collar employees (including interim). This simplified procedure is allowed again until 31/03/2021.

Your management has been informed of this possibility so that they can review the current operations (in office and on projects) taking this into account.

Application of temporary unemployment due to force majeure

Temporary unemployment may occur if there is insufficient work for you or your department / project, if teleworking cannot be carried out efficiently and with added value (e.g. during quarantine), or if you are unable to work in the office and this is required to carry out your job. In that case, your manager will ask you to be in temporary unemployment. This will be by full days, and either 1 or more days per week.

The procedure used in June of this year will therefore be reinstated :

  • You will need to enrol telework and holiday into the employee self-service system D365 ESS as before.
  • Each department head will inform Payroll of his / her employees in temporary unemployment due to force majeure by the end of each week.

If you are in temporary unemployment

  • Make sure you are registered with a paying agency (CAPAC, HVW or your trade union): if you didn’t register last spring yet, fill out the allowance request form: C.3.2-TRAVAILLEUR-CORONA or C.3.2.-WERKNEMER-CORONA. (If you’re already registered, you do not need to fill out the form again.)
  • If you are in temporary unemployment, you will receive an unemployment indemnity as explained last spring, see the People Covid-19 page on the intranet.

Specific situation: Temporary unemployment because of the care of a child

As already stated in our last People Newsletter, the government has created special temporary unemployment for parents when they have difficulties to combine work with caring for children. This request for temporary unemployment cannot be refused by the employer. It can also help in case of insufficient holidays.

In the period from 01/10/2020 to 31/03/2021, you can claim temporary unemployment benefits if you:

  • Take care of a minor child because the child is in quarantine
  • Take care of a minor child that lives with you and can’t go to nursery or school (regardless full or partial closing)
  • Take care of a disabled dependent child, regardless of age, who cannot go to a centre for the care of disabled people
  • Take care of a disabled dependent child, regardless of age, who is receiving inpatient or outpatient services or treatment organized or recognized by the Communities, because this daycare centre, school or center has been closed in whole or in part or this service or treatment has been temporarily stopped

You will need to provide payroll@besix.com with a certificate signed by you and the person responsible for the day care centre, school, childcare centre or service provision.

Stay Safe

Again, we restate that if you have any symptoms of illness, you should stay at home.
If someone in your household has tested positive, you need to stay at home and follow quarantine rules.

Telework continues

Telework remains mandatory and each department head is empowered to analyse and implement this measure for his or her team. Telework must systematically be recorded in the employee self-service system.

Together we have to ensure that our activities can continue on site and in the offices, to support our current projects and those of tomorrow. By continuing the hybrid working method we launched, we combine work efficiency, business continuity and the BESIX spirit, while safeguarding everyone's health and safety.

Be safe and take care of yourself.

#WeCare
Your People Department

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