Introduction

The employment law practice handles all employment related matters and issues occurring in the lifetime of an employment relationship, starting with the selection process and the hiring throughout the termination of the employment relationship. The practice further focuses on international assignments of Belgian employees abroad and the organization of the assignment of foreign employees to Belgium. We also assist our clients with respect to compliance with the requirements in connection with professional immigration into Belgium (application for work permits, professional cards, …).

Needless to say, the representation of our clients in litigation before the employment tribunals and courts of appeals is also an essential part of the employment law practice.  

Examples of representative assignments

The summary below is an overview of the diversity of assignments that are exemplary for the employment law practice:  

  • overall guidance with respect to establishing as an employer in Belgium

  • drafting of standard employment contracts for various categories of personnel, such as blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, commercial representatives, …

  • negotiating and drafting of tailor-made employment contracts and restrictive covenants for international and management-level employees

  • setting-up collaboration structures as an alternative for the traditional employment relationship and drafting of supporting documents and contracts, as the case may be via a “management company”

  • setting-up cross-border employment structures and international assignments out of and into Belgium; drafting of appropriate assignment documents and agreements; assistance for the application of work permits (employees) or professional cards (self-employed);

  • advising, negotiating and drafting of employee manuals, work regulations, …

  • advising and negotiating of compensation plans, remuneration packages, employee incentive programs, benefit plans, …

  • advising on various regulations concerning employment and working conditions, including a.o. working time, flexible working hours, night work, shift work, flexibility at the work place, …

  • advising and drafting appropriate documents and guidelines concerning privacy at work, sexual and moral harassment, data protection

  • advising on the implementation of nation/sector-wide collective bargaining agreements

  • very specific assignments such as the transfer of executive level employees to the status of director / managing director, combined with an arrangement to reactivate some aspects of the employment relationship upon expiration of the mandate as a director

  • advising on termination of the employment relationship; assessment of the cost of termination of the employment relationship

  • advising, assistance and drafting of appropriate documents with respect to termination of an employment relationship for just cause  

  • negotiation and structuring of complex termination deals

  • drafting appropriate agreements and documents with respect to the termination of an employment relationship

  • advising on the implementation and, as the case may be, the avoidance of restrictive covenants

  • assistance and handling of inspections by government inspection services (labor inspection / social inspection)

  • defending clients in court (first instance and appeal level) in all cases involving employment matters, including but not limited to termination of an employment relationship and issues arising at the occasion of the termination of an employment relationship

  • defending clients in court against claims of the National Social Security Office