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Working on Sundays in tourist centres: not all year round

Newsflash
Working hours and time off

The Belgian Supreme Court has ruled on the scope of the exception that allows working on Sundays in tourist centres.

 

In principle, working on Sunday is prohibited by law. There are however some exceptions to this principle.

Retail businesses or hairdressers in tourist centres, seaside resorts or climatic health resorts, for example, are allowed to employ employees on Sundays:

  • starting from 1 May to 30 September;
  • during Christmas and Easter holidays;
  • during a maximum 13 Sundays per year, other than during the periods above.

There was a discussion as to whether this exception should be applied per employee, thus meaning that different employees can be employed all year round on Sundays, or per employer.

The Supreme Court has settled this matter in a judgement of 10 November 2014. The exception has to be applied per employer. It is therefore not possible to employ personnel on Sundays all year round on the basis of this exception.

 

> Action point

Apply this exception correctly!