Belgium
Court reclassifies platform (on-demand) drivers as employees (case law)
Impact date: 13 June 2025 The Brussels Labour Court has ruled that a driver using an online platform must be classified as an employee that is jointly employed by the online platform company and the Belgian Platform Rider Association (BPRA) instead of an independent contractor. This decision reverses the initial ruling from 2022 which ruled that such drivers were independent contractors.
The Court found that the company’s substantial operational control over the driver through algorithmic management, pricing, performance monitoring and disciplinary mechanisms demonstrates a relationship of subordination which is incompatible with self-employment. The Court concluded that the presumption of employment was triggered and not rebutted, leading to full reclassification and retroactive social security obligations.
Employer implications/action needed N/A
Employer risk N/A
Link Case No. 2023/AB/119 (in French)
The Summer Agreement
Impact date: 1 January 2026 (to be confirmed) On 21 July 2025, the Federal Government has approved significant labour law reforms aimed at increasing flexibility and modernizing the labor market. Key measures include transformational changes in length of notice period, regulations surrounding night work, increasing voluntary overtime, abolishing the minimum weekly hours for part-time contracts and tightening access to early retirement and end-of-career time credit.
Employer implications/action needed Awaited. The Summer Agreement still needs to be transposed into Belgian Labour law.
Employer risk N/A
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