Burnout legally recognised in Belgium

As of September 1, employers in Belgium are obliged to acknowledge the risk of burnout among employees and take the appropriate measures to prevent it. Employers are therefore responsible for conducting risk analyses and counselling employees in order to avoid burnout, a feeling of exhaustion and hopelessness brought on by prolonged exposure to stress in the workplace.

It is the first time that the term ‘burnout’ has been used in Belgian legislation. There are already laws in place against bullying, harassment and violence in the workplace. Burnout is now included in the list of officially recognised psychosocial risks, with a new reporting system to make it easier for employees to report problems that could lead to full-on burnout.

In the Netherlands, burnout has long been recognised as an occupational illness.