[Belgium] Employees postpone paid leave for second year in a row

Employees in Belgium took very few days off in the first half of 2021, for the second year in a row. Thirty to 45-year-olds postponed taking paid leave more frequently than 25-year-olds, The Brussels Times reports.

According to research by SD Worx, an HR service provider, in comparison with 2019 - prior to the start of the pandemic - 15 per cent fewer holiday days were taken in the first six months of this year.

“In January and March, in particular, fewer holidays were taken than in a ‘normal year’ (such as 2019),” Geert Vermeir - an expert at SD Worx - said.

“The first half of the year is over, but employees still have more than half of their holidays left, the difference is huge. The difference between 2020 and 2021 is smaller,” he added.

SD Worx’s research was based on the payroll data of 70,000 employers and almost a million private-sector employees. It showed that under-25s have taken less than five days’ holiday so far, but have taken more holidays in June than in previous years, whilst only those aged over 60 have their 20 days spread evenly over the year.

Notably, employees between 30 and 45 years postpone the most; they have taken 7 per cent less holiday since the start of the year. However, it is possible that this group will also start taking more holidays during the second half of the summer.

The lockdown and travel ban at the beginning of 2021 meant people were hesitant to take holidays, as they were unable to travel abroad during the Carnival and Easter holidays.

“Travelling abroad was difficult and often even impossible. Few people went skiing, meaning most did not take holidays,” Mr Vermeir said.

“There was also temporary unemployment in, amongst others, the catering and event sectors. In the care sector, the work pressure was so high that there was little opportunity for holidays.”

Other employees may have been waiting for the implementation of the EU Digital Travel Certificate, which facilitates easier travel during the pandemic within the EU.

This hoarding of paid leave will leave many employers to contend with a backlog of holidays during the second half of the year.

Every employee must take their statutory holidays before 31 December of the current year and holidays cannot be carried over to the subsequent year so employees lose holidays they fail to take before the end of 2021, whilst the employer risks an administrative fine.

Mr Vermeir cautioned companies to start planning for autumn and winter now and to encourage employees to organise their schedules and avoid disappointment.

“As an employer, you had better make sure that your employees use all their holidays. We should not worry about the postponement yet, but it is important that companies and employees keep an eye on it,” he said.

Employees in Belgium took very few days off in the first half of 2021, for the second year in a row. Thirty to 45-year-olds postponed taking paid leave more frequently than 25-year-olds, The Brussels Times reports.

According to research by SD Worx, an HR service provider, in comparison with 2019 - prior to the start of the pandemic - 15 per cent fewer holiday days were taken in the first six months of this year.

“In January and March, in particular, fewer holidays were taken than in a ‘normal year’ (such as 2019),” Geert Vermeir - an expert at SD Worx - said.

“The first half of the year is over, but employees still have more than half of their holidays left, the difference is huge. The difference between 2020 and 2021 is smaller,” he added.

SD Worx’s research was based on the payroll data of 70,000 employers and almost a million private-sector employees. It showed that under-25s have taken less than five days’ holiday so far, but have taken more holidays in June than in previous years, whilst only those aged over 60 have their 20 days spread evenly over the year.

Notably, employees between 30 and 45 years postpone the most; they have taken 7 per cent less holiday since the start of the year. However, it is possible that this group will also start taking more holidays during the second half of the summer.

The lockdown and travel ban at the beginning of 2021 meant people were hesitant to take holidays, as they were unable to travel abroad during the Carnival and Easter holidays.

“Travelling abroad was difficult and often even impossible. Few people went skiing, meaning most did not take holidays,” Mr Vermeir said.

“There was also temporary unemployment in, amongst others, the catering and event sectors. In the care sector, the work pressure was so high that there was little opportunity for holidays.”

Other employees may have been waiting for the implementation of the EU Digital Travel Certificate, which facilitates easier travel during the pandemic within the EU.

This hoarding of paid leave will leave many employers to contend with a backlog of holidays during the second half of the year.

Every employee must take their statutory holidays before 31 December of the current year and holidays cannot be carried over to the subsequent year so employees lose holidays they fail to take before the end of 2021, whilst the employer risks an administrative fine.

Mr Vermeir cautioned companies to start planning for autumn and winter now and to encourage employees to organise their schedules and avoid disappointment.

“As an employer, you had better make sure that your employees use all their holidays. We should not worry about the postponement yet, but it is important that companies and employees keep an eye on it,” he said.