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Caluwaerts Uytterhoeven Lawyers  /  Practice Areas  /  Employees & partners

Employees and partners

Individual and collective labour law

Every entrepreneur or director must consider individual agreements between employers and employees, or enter into agreements with different partners. It is essential for the cooperation between employers and employees, and between clients and independent contractors, to be defined and implemented in accordance with specific rules and regulations. For instance, employers must ensure that foreign nationals comply with specific conditions or have the right permit. Account must also be taken of collective labour relations, which have a major impact on individual labour relations. Social dialogue in Belgium is a highly complex mechanism, and a proper approach therefore calls for the necessary expertise with regard to applicable laws and regulations and negotiation procedures with trade unions.

We offer assistance and advice relating to, among other aspects:

  • drafting employment contracts, assistance with recruitment and dismissal;
  • dialogue with the trade unions and the union representatives;
  • social elections;
  • collective labour agreements regarding working and pay conditions;
  • changes of joint committees and the impact on labour relations;
  • dismissal procedures for protected workers.

Social security law

Replacement income, supplementary benefits and income support are measures open to individuals covered by the social security system. Here, the Belgian social security system falls into three different categories that depend on the status of the insured: a system for private sector employees, a system for the self-employed and a system for public servants. Both recipients and contributors can gain from proper legal advice or professional representation relating to any problems or questions they may encounter in the area of social security.

We offer assistance and advice relating to, among other aspects:

  • social security contributions, including proceedings against the National Office for Social Security (RSZ/ONSS) and the National Institute for the Social Security of the Self-employed (RSVZ/INASTI), for example in connection with false self-employment and false employment;
  • well-being at work, occupational diseases and accidents at work;
  • annual vacation and leave entitlements;
  • pregnancy, maternity, paternity, parenthood;
  • social criminal proceedings, for example in connection with violations of working hours, undeclared work, wage protection, payroll documents and DIMONA/LIMOSA notifications.

Commercial agents

Apart from the classical employer-employee relationship, there are several other ways of formalising the cooperation between independents and other commercial partners, such as management agreements, franchise agreements, distribution agreements, agreements with suppliers, commercial agency agreements and other service agreements.

These contracts are often situated in an international context, affected by a variation of Belgian and international legislation.

We offer assistance and advice relating to, among other aspects:

  • drafing and revision of such agreements;
  • procedures related to the execution of such agreements;
  • procedures related to the infringement of such agreeements;
  • termination of such agreements.

Our

specialists

Kristiaan Caluwaerts
Kristiaan Caluwaerts
Senior partner

Specialised in: company law, commercial law, insolvency law, M&A, real estate law

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Thaïs Habotte
Thaïs Habotte
Lead lawyer

Specialised in: company law, commercial law, intellectual property

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Els Zegers
Els Zegers
Lead lawyer

Specialised in: public procurement, employment law

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Contact us

How can we help you? If you want more information, a personal meeting is the most appropriate way. You can always make an appointment by phone or e-mail, or contact us via contact.

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