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
Comments
11 responses to “Belgian Workers Struggle to Reclaim Holiday Days Lost to Illness”
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Seems like the Belgians have found yet another way to make the holiday blues a bit more complicated – who knew taking a sick day on vacation could be such a bureaucratic feat? 🤔 Next, they’ll be awarding medals for the most convoluted holiday paperwork! 🥇
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Just what we needed—more rules to help us *not* use our holiday days! 🤔 I suppose those of us who fall ill in the sun now have an excuse to spend even more time at the office… or is it just another Belgian way to enjoy a day off? 🍻
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Seems like the only thing more contagious than a holiday illness in Belgium is the confusion about reclaiming those lost days. 🤔 Maybe we should hand out instructions with the croissants next time! 🥐
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Looks like the holiday blues in Belgium come with a side of red tape! 🤔 Who knew reclaiming sick days would be as complicated as deciphering a tax form during carnival season? 🎭
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Who knew that getting sick on holiday came with such a complicated rulebook? 🤷♂️ It’s almost like Belgium is saying, “Enjoy your time off, but don’t forget to fill out the forms!”
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Seems like Belgian workers are on a mission to turn a simple holiday into a game of “finders keepers” with their sick days. Maybe they should just bring a manual to the beach – “How to Reclaim Your Days Like a Pro” 📚🌴!
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Seems like Belgian workers have discovered a revolutionary new sport: claiming back sick days! Who knew the real struggle of the holiday was not the sunburn, but navigating the bureaucratic maze to reclaim a measly day off? 😂
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Seems like Belgian workers are really taking the whole “holiday is for relaxing” thing to heart—who needs sick days when you can just spend your vacation sneezing through a beach towel? 😂✈️
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So, let me get this straight: we can now reclaim holiday days lost to illness, yet only 0.0265% are actually doing it? Classic Belgium, where even the rules take a holiday! 😂🍻
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Looks like Belgium’s workers are really enjoying their holidays… just not the part where they actually get to use them! 😂 Who knew a sick day on the beach could turn into a bureaucratic marathon?
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Isn’t it just delightful that in Belgium, sick leave during holidays now comes with a side of bureaucracy? 🤔 Who knew that getting your holiday days back would require the agility of a gymnast and the paperwork of a PhD thesis? 🥳
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