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Question on Part time work
Hi Everyone,
I may be asked to work part time vs full time now at my workplace. (reason is less work coming in). I have been working for around 8 years at the same place & am willing to do this till I find something else but wanted to know if 20h or 24h/ week gives me right to any unemployment benefits (even if little) and how do I go about getting it?
just checking if you have parental leave you could use... I have friends in similar situations who have. If you have a child less than 12 you have up to 4 months (though depending when they are born is if 3 or 4 are paid). So if you have taken none (like my husband)- he could work 8 months at 50% and get about an extra 250-300 per month during that time....
You will qualify for unemployment benefits only within a specific form of part-time work (chomage temporaire) linked to the company declaring financial troubles - see more info in here //www.onem.fgov.be/Frames/frameset.aspx?Path=D_opdracht_PT/&Items=1&Langua...
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It would be interesting both for you and your employer to look for the above mentioned parental leave, or other time-credit options.
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You can not be forced to cut your hours unless the company has as agreement on chomage temporaire.
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If you agree to reduce your hours voluntarily outside of these two options, you have to request the reduction in written from your employer. The employer then accepts and you make an amendment in your contract defining the new weekly hours. Make sure your request and the amendment are time limited otherwise the employer can keep you on part time indefinitely. Note also that for part time job the working schedule has to be defined to the detail (how many hours per day on what time of the day and which days of the week).
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Funnily enough due to the progressive taxation the reduction of the net income is usually smaller in percentages than the reduction of the working hours.
If you are in the elder age bracket (I think 55 is the lower limit but not sure), you can go 50% "voluntarily" with your employer's agreement, and in that case you get a subsidy from social security in addition to your half salary. The downside is that you cannot undertake any other work as long as you receive the subsidy. It's called "credit-temps fin de carriere."
