- Daily & Weekly newsletters
- Buy & download The Bulletin
- Comment on our articles
Carers to be awarded more flexible employment rights following European directive
Employees who care for someone will soon have the right to request fewer working hours or more home working, reports De Morgen.
The increased flexibility follows the transposition of a European directive from 2019.
It will now be easier for carers to apply for a more flexible working arrangement and employer can only refuse with a written motivation.
In addition, every employee is also entitled to five days of care leave per year, on top of the existing leave available for informal care and palliative care.
"This leave can be used more flexibly, for example to visit a child in hospital or to accompany a family member who moves into a nursing home," said federal work minister Pierre-Yves Dermagne.
Furthermore, employers are subject to stricter rules if they do not renew a temporary contract and if they do not respect the legally provided maternity leave.
Photo: Belga