Jobs in Belgium
Belgium holds the distinction of being the first EU member state to partially transpose the Pay Transparency Directive, with public sector legislation in the French-speaking community taking effect in January 2025. The country also has the lowest gender pay gap in Europe at 0.7%. Belgium's 2022 labor reform introduced the right to request a compressed 4-day workweek, though this concentrates the same hours into fewer days rather than reducing total working time. Uptake has been limited. Around 25% of job postings include salary information. Brussels, as the EU capital, is a natural hub for organizations already aligned with Directive requirements. The federal transposition process is underway, with the House of Representatives calling for implementation without gold-plating — meaning Belgium aims to adopt the Directive without exceeding its requirements.
Explore Cities in Belgium
Belgium at a Glance
25%
Jobs with salary transparency
34h
Avg. weekly hours
20 days
Min. annual leave
Legislation & Policy
Belgium's 2022 labor reform allows employees to request a compressed 4-day workweek (same total hours, fewer days). The Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles transposed the Directive for public sector employers in January 2025.
Belgium legislated the right to request a 4-day compressed workweek (same hours, fewer days) in November 2022. This is not a reduction in hours — employees work approximately 9.5 hours per day over 4 days. Real-world uptake has been limited.
Belgium was the first EU member state to partially transpose the Directive. The Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles passed legislation effective January 2025 covering public sector employers. The federal BE-MAGIC project is underway, and the House of Representatives passed a resolution in January 2026 calling for implementation without gold-plating.