One of the perks of Belgium’s social security system is that every worker receives pay for their holidays. The way this works for blue-collar workers is laid out in this article, including what you have to do to receive your holiday money.
What is the holiday money?
First of all, blue collar workers receive single and double holiday money for the days they are taking their holidays. The single holiday money is supposed to cover the normal wage you would receive when working, the double holiday money is a supplement to cover holiday expenses. Single and double holiday money equals 15.38% of your gross annual salary in the year preceding the holiday year.
How is the holiday money calculated?
Your holiday pay is calculated based on all your performances and wages for the year preceding the holiday year. This takes into account all Belgian employers you have worked for as a blue-collar worker.
For example, if you have worked in Belgium in 2020, two months for employer X and 1 month for employer Y, your holiday money in 2021 will be calculated at a rate of 3/12.
How is the holiday money for blue collar workers paid?
As a blue collar worker, when you take a holiday, you will not receive salary from your employer. Instead, the public service for annual holidays – the Rijksdienst voor Jaarlijkse Vakantie, in short: RJV or Vakantiefonds, will pay the full amount in one payment, between 2 May and 30 June.
What are the requirements to receive the holiday money?
Even though your employer will not be paying your holiday money during your holidays, he financed it by paying contributions on your gross salary. Because of this system, it means that you have to have worked in Belgium, for a Belgian employer, before you are entitled to annual holidays and receiving the holiday money.
Even when you move to another country, the social service will pay you the holiday money you have worked for!
In short, the requirements to receive holiday pay in Belgium are:
1. Having worked the preceding year in Belgium
2. Having worked the preceding year for a Belgian employer
3. Having shared your bank account number with the public service for annual holidays
How to share your bank account number with the public service
If you have a Belgian bank account, you will have to register over the internet. Go to www.rjv.fgov.be and choose «Mijn vakantierekening»
- If you have an eID-card reader or the app Itsme: go to «Mijn vakantierekening» again, this system will process your data immediately.
- Without eID-card reader: choose the online form «Belgisch rekeningnummer» and fill it in;
this system will process your data within 3 to 4 weeks.
If you want the holiday money paid onto a foreign bank account:
- Fill in form L76 with
- your bank account,
- the SWIFT/BIC code
- have it signed by your bank
- add a copy of your ID-card
- add a copy of a recent account statement
- send all this to ONVA – Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères 48 – 1000 Brussels – Belgium.
Attention!
Did you not receive a letter from the Rijksdienst voor Jaarlijkse Vakantie?
Did you receive it but you did not respond?
Then you cannot receive your holiday pay.
So be sure to enter your account number!
Where can I check what I am entitled to?
At www.rjv.fgov.be > «Mijn vakantierekening» you can check your own file, and make adjustments if necessary.
You have to change your data in case you:
- move to another place/country
- change your bank account
More questions?
Please do get in touch with us, we will make sure you receive what you are entitled to!
