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unemployment benefits and process - pls help
Hello,
I am still trying to verify a few things which have been suggested. Would be grateful if anyone could confirm or clarify the following or forward me to the information in English:
--Is it true that I can claim chomage if I have worked full time for 12 of the past 18 months? How much is this and how long does it continue?
-- Is it true that once you are given notice, you get two half days a week off to look for other work? Does this apply the full three months of notice?
--Also, if you find work, are you allowed to leave before the end of the notice period? Or is it an obligation to stay through the end? Or is it open to negotiation, ie not legally regulated?
Thank you.
1. Ask the bloody chomage people. Alternatively, go and hang in Charleroi and talk to the locals. It's not something that well educated expats with good jobs know a lot about.
2. Yes, No - only until you find a job.
3. You can always give counter-notice. 6 weeks in your case.
4. Everything is always open to negotiation. However, if you are made redundant and the twats don't pay you off in lieu of notice, don't hold your breath - pull a sickie.
Join a union -- they will administer your chomage - tell you if you are entitled etc.....
Hi, it is better to join a union like ACV and they will keep you right instead of reading some bad mannered and very ill advised comments.
The thumb rule is that you'll be entitled to the unemployment benefits if you have worked in Belgium for minimum 1 year full time and are being laid off. However in practice it is not so straight forward, the entitlement is calculated based on actual worked days and the reference period as well as the number of required days varies depending on your age and length of your work history. Here's a table showing the different scenarios.: http://www.onem.be/Frames/frameset.aspx?Path=D_opdracht_VW/&Items=1&Lang...
During the first 3 months of unemployment the allowance is 65% of your last salary, but the maximum salary taken into account is 2.467EUR per month. For the next 9 months the allowance is 60% of your last salary and the salary cap goes down to 2298EUR.
After that the allowance will diminish on different paces depending on whether you are or have dependent(s) and of the length of your work history. Details in here: http://www.onem.be/Frames/frameset.aspx?Path=D_opdracht_VW/&Items=1&Lang...
To apply for the allowance you have to first sign in as job seeker at your local unemployment office (VDAB/Le Forem/L'Actiris depending on the region you live at) and only then apply the benefits via your union.
