Paid bereavement leave extended to self-employed

Self-employed workers in Belgium will soon be granted paid bereavement leave in the event of the death of a family member – as is already the case for employees and civil servants.

Federal minister for the self-employed David Clarinval said Belgium’s council of ministers had approved the royal decree this week.

The allowance will be for a daily amount of €85.77 for a maximum period of 10 days in the event of the death of a spouse, a cohabiting partner, a child or a child placed in long-term foster care with the self-employed person, his or her spouse or cohabiting partner.

Self-employed workers who want to benefit from this leave must contact their social insurance fund no later than the last day of the year following the day of death. In addition, they must provide a sworn statement concerning the days of interruption of professional activity as well as the name, family relationship and an extract of the birth certificate of the deceased person.

"It is essential to support the self-employed in mourning and to make up for the loss of financial income for our self-employed workers faced with the loss of a loved one,” Clarinval said. “This new measure represents a significant improvement in the social status of self-employed workers.”