Belgian Workers Struggle to Reclaim Holiday Days Lost to Illness

Brussels, 20 August (Brussles Morning Newspaper) Belgian workers who fall ill during annual leave have the right to reclaim those holiday days, yet evidence suggests the entitlement remains surprisingly underused. More than two years after the rules changed, many employees are still failing to recover sick holiday days that could be taken at another time.

Holiday days no longer have to be lost to illness

The change came into force on 1 January 2024 and addressed a straightforward problem: an employee could book a week away, become ill and effectively spend part of their annual holiday on sick leave.

Under the current rules, statutory annual leave that coincides with a period of incapacity for work can be preserved and taken later.

The protection applies when the employee follows the required procedure, including promptly informing their employer and providing medical evidence.

Yet early evidence showed relatively few workers were actually making use of the change.

An Acerta analysis of more than 467,000 employees found that by late October 2024 just 0.0265% had converted statutory holiday into sickness days. That amounted to roughly one worker in every 3,772.

Illness on holiday is far from unusual

The low number of reclaimed days contrasts sharply with research suggesting becoming ill while away from work is relatively common.

A Protime survey published in 2024 found that 59% of Flemish respondents said they had been ill during a holiday at some point.

Separate research published by SD Worx in 2025 found that one in three Flemish small and medium-sized businesses had dealt with employees becoming ill during their holidays.

Among employees who did rearrange affected leave, workers in Flanders recovered an average of five days, while the average in Brussels was three days.

The figures suggest the issue is not simply whether people become ill while away. Knowing what to do when it happens is equally important.

Workers need to act while they are away

Recovering sick holiday days requires more than telling an employer about the illness after returning to work.

Belgium’s Federal Public Service Employment says an employee who becomes unable to work during annual leave must immediately notify their employer.

Workers staying away from