Belgium Benefits

Benefits vary by country in accordance with each country’s employment laws. This page serves as an overview of benefits for Belgium. The Employer of Record for Belgium, Remote, can provide additional details on the benefits that they administer (denoted below with *).

In addition to location-specific benefits, Shared Benefits are available to all employees.

Holidays*

  • New Year’s Day
  • Easter Monday
  • Labor Day
  • Ascension Day
  • Whit Monday
  • National Day
  • Assumption of Mary
  • All Saints’ Day
  • Armstice Day
  • Christmas Day

All holidays are determined by the Employer of Record and may vary by year.

If one of the above holidays falls on a weekend, it is normally observed on the following Monday (TBD for 2023).

Annual Leave/Vacation

Employees accrue 20 days of annual leave per year. Your accrual increases to 25 days per year on your third anniversary at thoughtbot.

Sick Time

Thoughtbot ensures 10 days of sick time per year. Sick time is to take care of yourself or a loved one.

In Belgium, you may be eligible for fully paid sick leave for up to 30 days, and up to 60% pay beyond the 30 days. This leave runs concurrently with the 10 sick days ensured by thoughtbot.

Parental Leave*

All thoughtbot team members are eligible for both paid and unpaid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child. The paid and unpaid leave can be combined for up to at least 6 months of total time off. In some locations, team members are eligible for more time off. thoughtbot ensures 6 weeks 100% paid parental leave for all non-birthing parents and 12 weeks 100% paid parental leave for all birthing parents. In locations with their own system for paid leave, thoughtbot’s policy runs concurrently with the local system.

Birthing parents are entitled to 15 weeks of leave. Up to 6 of these weeks can be taken before the due date, but a minimum of 1 week must be taken before the due date. It is mandatory for the birthing parent to take a minimum of 9 weeks after the birth of a child. The Health Insurance Fund pays for the birthing parent’s leave:

  • 82% of the salary for the first 30 days of the leave
  • 75% of the salary (maximum of 106.9EUR/day) from the 31st day and on.

thoughtbot ensures 100% pay for the first 12 weeks by topping off the benefit amount for the first 12 weeks.

Non-birthing parents are paid for 12 days by the Health Insurance Fund at a rate of 82% of the regular salary. thoughtbot ensures 100% pay for 6 weeks by topping off the Health Insurance Fund’s benefit amount.

Bereavement Leave

Employees may take up to 5 paid days off for the death of someone close. We understand the deep impact that death can have on an individual or a family, so if you need more than 5 days off, you can also use your accrued paid time off, or unpaid time off.

Medical Insurance*

Medical insurance is available through Allianz.

Compensation*

Employees are entitled to a 13th month salary. The annual salary is paid in 13 months per year, one each month, plus another payment in December.

Employees also receive a holiday bonus in May of each year, which equals 92% of the month’s salary. The bonus is prorated monthly based on the previous calendar year for those who were employed in the previous calendar year.

Payroll Cycle*

All payments are processed through Remote. All bonuses, stipends, and expense reimbursements are added to the monthly payment, which is made on or before the last working day of each month, payable in arrears. The cut off date for submitting and approving expenses is the 10th of the month.