As a company, it can be useful to hire flexible staff to meet fluctuating workloads or specific project needs. In Belgium, there are several ways to do this, allowing you to strike the right balance between flexibility and efficiency.
– Interim work (Temporary employment): Working with temporary employment agencies allows you to quickly hire qualified staff for temporary projects or peak periods. These flexible workers are formally employed by the employment agency, allowing you to scale up or down quickly and efficiently according to the needs of your business.
Even if you have already found the employees yourself and register them with an employment agency via payrolling, this legally falls under temporary employment.
– Temporary employment contract: By offering individual temporary contracts, you can hire talents for a specific duration, a specific project or to replace an employee (replacement contract). These contracts have an expiry date and end automatically at the end of the agreed period, with no notice required. These contracts must meet the legal requirements in Belgium regarding temporary employment.
– Self-employed (Freelancers): Hiring self-employed professionals can be useful for projects that require specialist skills for a certain period of time. These professionals bill their services to the company as self-employed and are not employed by the company. Be careful not to exercise authority to avoid false self-employment, as this is heavily sanctioned.
– Student employment: Companies can employ students for temporary work during holiday periods or after school hours. The big advantage as an employer is that for a student, you pay no withholding tax and only 5.4% NSSO contribution (instead of 32% on average for an ordinary employee).
Job students can work a maximum of 600 hours a year under this statute, ceding barely 2.7% of their pay.
Want to know more about student work opportunities? https://www.tentoo.be/en/job-student-student-entrepreneur-or-student-self-employed/
– Volunteer allowance: This is an allowance paid to volunteers for their services, often in non-profit organisations or social institutions. This allowance is intended to meet expenses that volunteers incur while performing their duties, such as transport costs or minor expenses. It is important to note that volunteering is not considered regular employment and volunteers are not subject to regular labour laws.
– Amateur arts allowance (AAA): This is a specific scheme for amateur artists who receive compensation for their artistic performances. This fee can be paid by organisers of cultural events or other institutions and is intended as a small payment for the artist’s artistic contribution. The scheme has specific conditions and restrictions regarding the amount of the allowance and the number of days it can be received without tax consequences. Read more about the AAA here.
– Flexi-job: A flexi-job is a specific form of employment in Belgium designed to encourage additional labour in sectors such as hospitality and retail. Employees who already work at least 4/5 with another employer can earn unlimited extra income with a flexi-job on favourable terms, without paying taxes or social security contributions. Employers offering flexi jobs do have to meet certain conditions and register with the government.
– 1bis: This term refers to a special form of employment in Belgium involving people with disabilities. These are often sheltered workshops or social workshops where these individuals receive support and guidance to work in an adapted environment
– Article 60 PCSW (Public Centre for Social Welfare or “OCMW” in Dutch): This is an arrangement whereby the PCSW employs people in a vulnerable position in specific projects or tasks. The aim of this scheme is to give these individuals work experience and help them improve their chances in the regular labour market. Employment under Article 60 is often combined with social counselling and training opportunities.
By taking advantage of these different forms of employment, you as a company can use flexible staff in a way that suits your specific needs and situation. However, it is important to understand the legal requirements and obligations associated with any form of employment to ensure compliance and minimise risks.
At the start of our cooperation, Tentoo distinguished itself with their online approach, which made it much easier and more flexible for us and our freelancers. Besides, they no longer had to go to an interim office first with papers etc.
The cooperation with Tentoo is frictionless. The set-up was quick and they know what they are talking about. What I like is that they are also proactive in dealing with any contacts with the Belgian government.
Would I recommend Tentoo to others? For me it works great because it’s a personal and easy contact. If you’re a fan of that, try it too! The collaboration is incredibly smooth, I wouldn’t know why I would work with anyone else.
We have been working with TENTOO for years and they have since become completely intertwined in our operation. They are very flexible and maintain personal contact where necessary, yet two things that are very important within the film industry.
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My assistants and I have been working with Tentoo for many years and we have only had good experiences with it. Everything goes super smooth, professional and clear. I could not imagine a better partner for the administration and compensation of my assistants.
