Falling ill while working in Belgium does not mean losing your income overnight. During the first weeks of incapacity for work, your employer generally keeps paying you: this is the guaranteed salary. After that, your health insurance fund takes over.
What is the guaranteed salary?
When illness prevents you from working, your employment contract is suspended and the law requires your employer to maintain your pay for a set period.
Important: this covers ordinary illnesses. A work accident or an occupational disease follow different rules.
White-collar employees
An employee on a permanent contract keeps 100 % of their pay for the first 30 calendar days, at the employer's expense, with no seniority requirement.
Blue-collar workers
A worker is entitled provided they have at least one uninterrupted month of service, on a decreasing scale:
- Days 1-7: 100 %, borne by the employer;
- Days 8-14: 85.88 % borne by the employer;
- Days 15-30: shared with the health insurance.
The end of the waiting day
Since 1 January 2014, the waiting day is abolished: guaranteed salary from the first day.
And after 30 days?
Your health insurance fund then pays 60 % of your capped gross salary during the first year.
In short
If unsure, contact your payroll office, your union, or consult the official sources below.