In this country, 4 Sundays, the right to ignore the boss after work

Belgium has joined the increasing list of countries, which offer four-day work week workers. This is part of the main Covid era of labor law, announced by Prime Minister Alexander de Croo on Tuesday.

“The Covid period has forced us to work more flexible – the labor market needs to adapt to it,” he told journalists after negotiations overnight about changes between the ministers.

The most interesting change is the right to turn off the work device and ignore the message related to work after hours without fear of retaliation.

These steps are intended to improve the quality of life of Belgium and offer a better balance of work life.

Package details

These new steps will allow employees to reach 38 hours of work for four days, not five, open up the possibility for a permanent long weekend, or parenting day. And all this is offered without salary reduction.

The principle of the flexibility that it will also allow an employee to work higher in one week in one week to have a much lighter week.

However, every request needs to be approved by the boss – which means that, in practice, such managed flexibility will only be an option for those who work in large companies, where workload can be easier to distribute.

Is it implemented immediately?

Changes will not be implemented immediately, in accordance with documents released by the federal government. The union will say the draft bill before the amendment was made, the law would be studied by the State Council who advised the government, before parliament voted.

Observer hopes it will take effect around the middle of this year.

Other reforms approved by the Multi-party Belgian government include access to individual employees to training, and test programs that allow night work for employees in the e-commerce sector.

Countries that have implemented a four-day working week

In September 2021, Scotland launched a four-day business trial, a campaign promise made by the powerful Scottish National Party. Iceland, Spain and Japan also tested working weeks four days ago.

The UAE became the first country for the transition to the four-day working week officially in December last year.