Up until 2023, your days of absence remained vacation days even if you became unfit for work during that holiday. However, as European law stipulates that every employee is entitled to 4 weeks holidays, Belgian legislation had to be amended.
Therefore, a Royal Decree was published in the Belgian Official Gazette that allows employees who fall sick before or during their legal and collective vacation to convert their planned vacation days into sick days as of 1 January 2024.
To do so, you must notify your employer of your illness as soon as possible (within 2 days of your doctor’s visit), present them with a medical certificate and inform them explicitly that you want to take your remaining vacation days at a later date. Your employer may also subject you to a medical check-up, even if you’re residing elsewhere for your holiday. For that reason, you’re also required to inform your employer of your place of residence if this were to differ from your home address.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Other reasons for absence"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"The new regulations not only apply in case of illness during a holiday, but also for the following other absences that might occur during your legal vacation days:
illness and 'ordinary' accident
occupational accident and occupational disease
maternity leave or paternity leave
prophylactic leave
birth leave
adoption leave
foster care leave and foster parent leave
Another important element of the new legislation is the possibility to transfer your vacation days. When you are unable to use up your holidays before the end of the year due to illness, you are now entitled to still take your vacation days within 24 months after the end of the vacation year. Since the transferred holidays must also be added to your vacation certificate, you can also take these transferred holidays with a new employer if you were to change jobs within these 24 months.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"White- VS blue-collar workers"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"The new legislation for being ill during your holiday applies to both white- and blue-collar workers. The only difference lies in the timing of the holiday pay. For blue-collar workers, the holiday pay is already paid during the vacation year. The transferred holidays are therefore already paid out at that time and not when the worker actually takes the transferred holidays. As for white-collar workers, the employer will also have to prepay these days in the month of December of the vacation year if there are still vacation days left to transfer on 31 December.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Converting vacation days to sick days: an example"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Suppose you plan to take time off work from Monday 1 July 2024 until Friday 12 July 2024, altogether good for 10 vacation days. You fall ill on Wednesday 3 July and your sick leave (and doctor’s note) lasts until Wednesday 10 July. Since there were 6 vacation days scheduled during your period of sickness, you can still take these 6 vacation days at a later date and will be paid according to your usual salary. The other 4 vacation days remain holidays and cannot be rescheduled.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Further information!"},{"componentType":"cards","cards":[{"componentType":"articleCard","cardType":"article","cardSize":"medium","title":"Skiing assistance","body":"Make the most of your winter sports holiday and hit the slopes with peace of mind, thanks to the skiing assistance coverage which is systematically included in your travel insurance.","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/d303906e-3a98-4e2b-8b4a-415c466340a5/Empty-road-amidst-trees-during-winter","type":"image","width":5197,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/756c2fa35d0e1470/original/Empty-road-amidst-trees-during-winter.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"date":"2023-12-14","link":{"url":"/en/individuals/insurance/skiing-assistance"}},{"componentType":"serviceCard","cardType":"service","cardSize":"small","title":"Ready for your holidays?","intro":"Download this travel checklist to not forget anything before you leave","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/22a334e7-944a-4c27-87be-30e753990644/icon-travelbag","type":"image","width":288,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/17895a7c5104aecf/original/icon-travelbag.png","extension":"png"},"link":{"url":"https://assets.ing.com/m/2b6df4dece500844/original/Travelchecklist_EN.pdf"}},{"componentType":"serviceCard","cardType":"service","cardSize":"small","title":"Travel insurance","intro":"Insurer: Inter Partner Assistance S.A./nv","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/5033530a-0c29-4b07-84a4-dba331f49c8b/go-abroad-risks-1920","type":"image","width":1920,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/847b64335c2eeb/original/go-abroad-risks-1920.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"link":{"url":"/en/individuals/insurance/travel-insurance"}},{"componentType":"productCard","cardType":"product","cardSize":"small","title":"Yearly Travel Insurance","intro":"ING Travel Insurance insured by Inter Partner Assistance NV.","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/a65f442c-d43a-4fb4-ae1f-cb874abaa930/people-skiing-on-snow","type":"image","width":6000,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/5ed885ee36e97a6f/original/people-skiing-on-snow.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"link":{"url":"/en/individuals/insurance/travel-insurance"}},{"componentType":"articleCard","cardType":"article","cardSize":"medium","title":"Remote medical consultation","body":"What does an online consultation involve? How do I book a remote medical appointment? Is it possible to receive a medical prescription after an online consultation?","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/5beba3f6-d825-491e-8010-22483fdbddad/A-man-wearing-headphones-works-on-his-computer-from-a-rooftop-tent-installed-on-top-of-his-car","type":"image","width":3000,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/2622e3140fcd155d/original/A-man-wearing-headphones-works-on-his-computer-from-a-rooftop-tent-installed-on-top-of-his-car.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"date":"2024-01-31","link":{"url":"/en/individuals/insurance/remote-medical-consultation"}},{"componentType":"articleCard","cardType":"article","cardSize":"medium","title":"Taking a sick day without a doctor’s note","body":"Is it possible? What are the exact conditions for taking a sick day without a doctor’s note? In this article, we explain all there is to know about this new exemption.","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/840a5d71-a993-41c3-8f39-8b96bb9d6a06/Close-up-of-a-person-holding-up-a-fever-thermometer-to-check-the-body-temperature","type":"image","width":5832,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/608bfcd6b95e56b0/original/Close-up-of-a-person-holding-up-a-fever-thermometer-to-check-the-body-temperature.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"date":"2024-01-31","link":{"url":"/en/individuals/insurance/sick-without-a-sick-note"}},{"componentType":"articleCard","cardType":"article","cardSize":"medium","title":"Repatriation while on holiday: what to know","body":"A good repatriation insurance allows for a smooth and safe return in case of emergency. Find out everything you need to know about repatriation on holiday.","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/83ae0d16-f72a-4cb2-9bc3-7541ad5b9ff9/Low-angle-shot-of-an-airplane-s-nose-against-a-cloudy-blue-sky","type":"image","width":6720,"altTextEN":"Low angle shot of an airplane's nose against a cloudy blue sky","altTextNL":"Low angle-opname van de neus van een vliegtuig tegen een blauwe wolkenlucht","altTextFR":"Prise de vue en contre-plongée du nez d'un avion dans un ciel bleu nuageux.","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/24130724c71f62bd/original/Low-angle-shot-of-an-airplane-s-nose-against-a-cloudy-blue-sky.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"date":"2024-03-05","link":{"url":"/en/individuals/insurance/repatriation-from-holiday"}}]}]}}}