Kinds of Employment
In Belgium, a minor (a person under the age of 18 years) can conclude and
terminate an employment contract, with the express or tacit consent of a parent
or guardian. In the case of opposition by a parent or guardian, the minor may
request the authorisation of the juvenile court (by writing to the public
prosecutor of the juvenile court in his place of residence or by getting a
member of his family to approach the juvenile court directly).
Up until the age of fifteen, all young people must follow full-time
education. After fifteen, they are no longer required to remain in full-time
education provided that they have completed the first two years of full-time
secondary education (whether or not they pass). In any case, the obligation to
remain in full-time education stops at the age of sixteen. From then on, young
people can follow part-time education, combining it with an employment contract
(apprenticeship contract) provided that their working hours plus classes do not
exceed the normal limits of a working day.
Under a student employment contract, young people can, from the age of fifteen,
work full-time during the school holidays if they are in full-time education.
Types of Employment Contract
Types of contract depending on the nature of the work
A distinction is made in our legislation between manual workers and white-collar
workers: manual workers carry out work that is mainly manual, while white-collar
workers carry out mainly intellectual work.
Types of contracts depending on duration
- Open-ended contract: an employment contract may be concluded without
specifying a limit in time (for an unlimited period).
- Fixed-term contract: a contract that is limited in time (fixed-term
contract or contract for a clearly defined job).
- Contract for specific work: a contract under which a quite specific job is
to be carried out (for instance, an actor in a specific film or fruit-picking on
a farm).
- Contract to work as a replacement: this type of contract may be concluded
to replace a worker whose employment contract has been suspended for a reason
other than unemployment, economic reasons or because of the weather, a strike or
a lock-out.
- Contract for carrying out temporary work: this type of contract can be
concluded in only four cases: replacement of a permanent worker; exceptional
increase in the workload; carrying out of exceptional work; the supply of
artistic services or the production of artistic work for a casual employer or
casual user.
Types of contracts depending on the volume of services
- A full-time contract: the contract is concluded for the maximum period of
work in the company.
- A part-time contract: the contract is concluded for a period less than the
normal period of work in the company.
Text last edited on: 03/2009
Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2009
Reproduction is authorised.
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