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Vacation Salary (pécule de vacances)

Question

I have a question regarding the extra Holiday salary here in Belgium. I have started working in my company on August 1st 2015 and I will plan to leave April 2017.

Will I still receive the vacation money in June as I have worked a full year previously? Or what would the calculation be?

Many thanks,

anon

probably yes; it is calculated pro rata, but it will depend on your specific employment contract, as well as how many days of paid holiday you've taken in this current year. when you leave you will also get your double pecule.

However you mention that you "plan to leave" in April? Unless you are on a fixed term contract, you usually have to give three months notice, so technically you can't leave in April, unless your employer agrees.

Mar 6, 2017 21:46
ltncl

What is double pecule?
I thought the belgian law was one month?
Many thanks,

Mar 7, 2017 11:47
anon

You accrue a pecule of 0.92 months (which is usually paid around June) in the prior year, so in April 2017 you will have accrued the whole amount for 2016 and 4/12 of 2017.

The double pecule is accrued in the current year, and is usually paid in December. So this year in April, you will have also accrued 4/12 of that.

When you leave, you will be paid in addition to your April salary, 0.92 months, 4/12 of 0.92 and 4/12 of a whole months pay, or approx 1.8 months pay in total.

Please note, this payment is taxed at your highest marginal rate, and is liable to ONSS contributions in full, so expect to receive about half of it net.

If you are now leaving the country - MAKE SURE YOU FILE A TAX RETURN. You will get most, if not all, of the tax you paid so far in 2017 back.

If you are staying in Belgium, and getting a new job, save the extra money you've just been paid, as next year, although you will be entitled to holidays, you will not be paid for them.

Finally - you should ask your HR department, as how you get paid, the nature and length of your contract, who you work for, and what you do can all affect what I've discussed above, and it's possible you're not entitled to anything, or a variation, or more than the scenario I have described above.

Mar 7, 2017 16:07