Looking for a job?

As a temporary worker, you enjoy the same rights and benefits as permanent staff. Here is a full overview of your benefits:

Pay and equal treatment

• Your pay as a temporary worker cannot be lower than what you would have received if the user company had hired you as a permanent worker under the same conditions
• You are entitled to the same pay as permanent workers in a similar role at the company where you work
• Choice of withholding tax: reduced withholding tax possible (11.11% minimum) for a higher net pay (see more)

Bonuses and incentives

• End-of-year bonus : you are entitled to an end-of-year bonus if you have worked at least 65 days (or 494 hours) between 1 July and 30 June
• The bonus amounts to 8.33% of your gross pay
• Union bonus: check with your union

Holidays and time off

• Holiday pay : single and double pension contributions, just like all other workers
• Employees : payment with each weekly pay
• blue-collar workers : annual payment by the ONVA (May–June)

Benefits in kind

• If the employer provides meal vouchers to its permanent staff, then temporary staff are also entitled to them, under the same conditions as set out in the company’s staff regulations
  • Note that some companies only grant meal vouchers after 6 months of service.
• The same applies to eco-vouchers

Travel expenses

• You get the same reimbursement for commuting between home and work as employees
• Reimbursement for public transport under the same conditions

Social protection

• Employers are required to register temporary workers with the social security system
• Days worked under a temporary employment contract are taken into account when calculating the retirement pension

Working conditions

• The same working hours, overtime, Sunday work and night work as permanent staff, with the same overtime pay and time off in lieu
• At least 3 hours of work per day

Benefits specific to temporary work

• The benefit of flexibility, which makes it possible to balance work with family and personal commitments
• A stepping stone to permanent employment
• Enhancing your CV and professional network

In summary : you have the same rights as a permanent worker, plus the flexibility of temporary work!

When you register with Jobalto, you will receive a registration email from InterimSign inviting you to activate your AdminBox account.

Video tutorials:

• Activate your AdminBox account
• Sign a contract with AdminBox
• Sign a contract (Federgon video)

1. Contracts
   • Contracts are sent automatically to your AdminBox at 10 pm the day before your contract starts 
2. Pay slips

• • Pay slips are also sent to your AdminBox account (not by email).

Who takes care of the paperwork? It is your temporary employment agency (your official employer) that has to handle all the paperwork with the ONEM for temporary unemployment, not the user company where you work. However, the ONEM sets the eligibility rules.

Important: your cooperation is essential so we can quickly learn about your situation and check your eligibility. Without it, you risk losing your right to unemployment benefits.

When can you be placed on temporary unemployment?

1. Adverse weather conditions, force majeure, strikes, technical faults : possible until the end of your weekly contract. After that, either a new assignment or a C4 form for regular unemployment.
2. Company-wide closure (annual leave): 
   • Possible if your contract covers at least the closure period.
   • Only possible if you have used up your paid leave
   • To check whether you are eligible, refer to the rules laid down by the ONEM
3. Economic reasons :
   • If you are replacing a permanent worker: possible
   • If you are hired for a temporary increase in workload: only possible if you meet 3 conditions:
     • Have worked for at least three months at this company
     • The company's sector is experiencing a shortage of work for economic reasons
     • To be part of the division affected by temporary redundancy

Further resources here → Practical examples

Paperwork for the worker:

• You will need to fill in your eC3.2A card

If no new assignment is available: C4 temporary work form (sent by Jobalto)

As a temporary blue-collar worker, you can receive bad-weather unemployment benefits.
Here is what you need to know about your obligations and the steps to take.

Important: let us know immediately You must inform us in writing as soon as you are on temporary unemployment. We need to notify the ONEM to secure your payments.

• By email : admin@jobalto.be
• Via WhatsApp : +32 477 77 42 44

Paperwork:

• You need to fill in your eC3.2A card (instructions below)

Bad-weather days are paid by the ONEM at the start of the following month on days when the weather is bad.
For details of bad-weather unemployment benefits, see this explanatory page.

A. Where can I find my eC3.2A card?

• On a computer : you need to log in on the National Insurance website. 
• On mobile phones : you need to download the’eC32 application on
  • Link to the Google Play Store
  • Link to the Apple App Store

B. How do I fill in my eC3.2A card?

1. You need to mark the working days in black on the calendar (normally already filled in automatically!).
2. For days of unemployment due to bad weather, select the boxes for the days you did not work, click Edit and choose “unemployment”.

→ This demo shows you how!

As an employee on assignment with Jobalto, you don't wait until May-June like blue-collar workers : your holiday pay is included in every weekly pay slip!

Payment system for temporary staff:

Temporary agency workers receive their holiday pay from the agency with each pay packet, unlike permanent workers, who receive it once a year from the ONVA.

How it works in practice: paid weekly with your wages

Jobalto pays you every week your holiday pay single and double on top of your weekly wages, based on the work done during the week.

1. Single holiday pay : the pay you receive when you actually take your days off
2. Double holiday pay : an extra allowance (about 92% of your gross pay) to enjoy your holidays

You can check the breakdown on your pay slip, which you receive every week in AdminBox!

Important point: So your holiday pay is not paid when you take your leave, but in advance. Remember to set it aside so you can fully enjoy your holidays.

Resources:

• Are temporary workers entitled to annual leave? | Securex

In Belgium, after a period of temporary work, you must re-register as a jobseeker with the relevant regional employment service (Actiris, Forem, VDAB or ADG) within 8 days of the end of your contract, if you are once again unemployed. Source: Onem

Re-registration following a period of temporary work:

• Re-enrolment deadline : You must re-register as a jobseeker within 8 days of your temporary contract ending.

   

• Uninterrupted period of employment requiring re-registration : If you have worked for at least 28 consecutive days, you must submit a new claim for unemployment benefit and re-register as a jobseeker. Onem 

Please also make sure you submit your correctly completed control card (C3A) to your paying agency by the end of the month.

Source: Requirements for those temporarily unemployed

Are you eligible for unemployment benefit?

Here are the requirements:

• Are you «involuntarily unemployed»? This means that you did not choose to be unemployed. This is the case if you have been made redundant or if your contract has ended and has not been renewed. If you choose to terminate your contract yourself, you are therefore not entitled to unemployment benefit.
• Have you worked long enough? If you are under 36, the following rules apply:
  • you have worked for at least 312 days during the 21 months preceding your application; ;
  • or where you worked for at least 468 days during the 33 months preceding your application; ;
  • or you have worked for at least 624 days during the 42 months preceding your application. 

(If you are aged 36 or over, check the rules on the website of the’ONEM.)

Not sure if you’ve worked enough days? You can check this on www.mycareer.be. If you can’t do it, don’t worry, as the payment provider will check this too.

Your overtime pay

As a temporary worker, you are entitled to the same overtime pay and the same compensatory rest as permanent workers Temporary work | FPS Employment – Labour and Social Dialogue :

• +50% for hours worked in excess of 9 hours per day or 40 hours per week
• +100% Sundays and public holidays

3 types of overtime

1. Standard overtime

• Required field : an extraordinary increase in workload, or a case of force majeure (unforeseen necessity, an accident that has occurred or is imminent, urgent work)
• Including overtime pay + mandatory compensatory rest
• Standard contributions and taxes

2. Volunteer hours

• • 120 hours per year (extendable to 360 hours)
  • With overtime pay, no time off in lieu

• Written consent required

3. Recovery hours (the exceptional benefit)

• 120 hours per term (until June 2025)
• No additional pay is due for these services, but they are Exempt from social security contributions, payroll tax and income tax
• Net pay = gross pay (100% in the bag!)

Unique tax benefits for temporary workers

Overtime hours: In the temporary work sector, this limit is 360 hours tax relief (compared to 180 hours in other sectors)

Practical example (10 hours at €15 per hour)

Overtime pays better than normal hours AND avoids all the hassle!

Our advice

Prioritise recovery hours to maximise your net income. It is the best benefit on the Belgian market!

Resources:

• Exemption from payroll tax on overtime | SD Worx 
• Voluntary overtime to be extended to 2023, 2024 and 2025 | Liantis
• Implementation of the 2023–2024 social agreement on ‘recovery’ hours pending the legislation | FPS Employment

Basic principle

Withholding tax is an advance on income tax that every worker must pay, deducted from your wages by Jobalto.

Each payday, the employer withholds a percentage of your taxable gross pay (gross pay minus social security).

Special provisions for temporary workers

For temporary workers, the payroll tax is set at 

• Legal minimum : 11,11%
• Default rate : 18% under a sectoral agreement
• Maximum possible : 30%

Why this flat-rate system?

As temporary employment agencies find it very difficult to assess the earnings of a temporary worker (who may be working for different employers or sent out by different agencies), a flat-rate system simplifies administration.

WARNING: The minimum rate trap

Because the final tax uses progressive rates, temporary workers often owe a large amount of tax if they choose the minimum rate.

If you choose to have only the minimum withheld from your wages, your net pay will be higher, but you may get a nasty surprise at tax time.

Tips for choosing the right rate

1. Look at your personal situation

Withholding tax and income tax depend closely on your personal tax situation. Your wages play a key role.

Factors to consider:

• Your total annual income (all sources combined)
• Civil status (single, married, cohabiting)
• Dependents (children, etc.)
• Other income (student jobs, income from property, etc.)

2. Practical rules for your profile

Starter profile / modest income (< €25,000/year) :

• 11,11% may be enough
• Limited risk of additional tax liability

Average income bracket (€25,000–€35,000 per year) :

• 18% recommended (default rate)
• The standard we use is 18%

High-income profile (> €35,000 per year) :

• 22-30% recommended
• The higher your taxable income, the higher you should ideally set your withholding rate

Special circumstances :

• Married to a spouse with no income : lowest possible rate
• Single with no children : higher rate recommended
• Large mortgages : the rate may be reduced

3. Practical strategies

Conservative option (recommended) :

• Choose 18-22% to avoid any nasty surprises
• If too much withholding tax is deducted, you will be refunded the overpaid tax

Aggressive (risky) option :

• Choose 11,11% to maximise your monthly take-home pay
• Set money aside for the extra tax

Balanced option :

• Start at 18% and adjust after your first tax return

Further advice

1. You can change your rate during the year if your situation changes
2. Take your other income into account : keep an eye on your income from outside Jobalto, as it also counts in your annual tax assessment
3. Use the simulators from the FPS Finance to estimate your final tax
4. Talk to your agency : you can ask your agency to adjust the withholding tax to your work and family situation

Jobalto's recommendation

For most of our temporary staff, 18% + dynamic scales offers the best balance between:

• Attractive take-home pay
• Tax certainty
• Ease of management

Feel free to contact us to discuss the best rate for your situation!