What are the statutory types of Paid Leaves in Belgium?

In Belgium, employees are entitled to various types of paid leave, which provide financial support and ensure that employees can take time off for significant life events. Below is an overview of the key paid leave types available to workers in Belgium.

Maternity/Pregnancy Leave

Duration: 15 weeks in total – 6 weeks before the birth and 9 weeks after the birth.
Payment:
- The Health Insurance Fundpays for maternity leave (“indemnité de maternité”):
  - 82% of the salary for the first 30 days of the leave.
  - 75% of the salary (capped at €106.9 per day) from the 31st day onwards.

This leave allows the mother to rest and recover from childbirth while receiving compensation to support her financially during the time off.

Breastfeeding Break

Duration: Minimum of 2 breaks of 30 minutes each per day for breastfeeding.
Requirement: Employees must inform their employer at least 2 months in advance and provide proof of breastfeeding.
Eligibility: Available until the baby reaches 9 months old.

This break allows the mother to continue breastfeeding while returning to work, ensuring her health and well-being, as well as the baby’s.

Birth Leave

Duration: 20 days of leave within 4 months after childbirth.

This leave is available to fathers or other partners of the mother to support the family after the birth of a child.

Parental Leave

Duration: Employees can choose between:
- 4 months of full-time suspension, or
- 8 months of part-time work (by converting the employment agreement into part-time), or
- A reduction of work by 1/10.
Payment: Paid by the National Employment Office (“allocation d’interruption”).

Parental leave enables employees to take time off or reduce their working hours to care for their child while receiving financial support.

Leave for Personal Events

Wedding of Worker: 2 days of leave.
Wedding of Relative: 1 day of leave.
Ordination or Entry into Convent of a Relative: 1 day of leave.
Death of a Close Relative: 10 days of leave.
Death of a Relative: 3 days of leave.
Solemn Communion of a Relative: 1 day of leave.
Participation of a Child in a Secular Youth Celebration: 1 day of leave.
Family Meeting/Council Convened by Justice of the Peace: 1 day of leave.
Interrogation as a Witness before Courts: Up to 5 days of leave.

These types of leave allow employees to take time off for personal, familial, or legal reasons, ensuring that they can manage important life events with minimal financial impact.

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