Belgium’s Employment Minister David Clarinval has rejected claims that the flexi-job system is spiralling out of control, insisting that it remains beneficial for public finances.
Clarinval was responding to concerns raised by Budget Minister Vincent Van Peteghem (Christen Democratisch en Vlaams, CD&V), who suggested that the recently expanded scheme could become too costly for the state.
Speaking to De Standaard newspaper, Van Peteghem said he was worried about the system after the government extended it to all sectors of the economy. He warned that some workers might choose to cut their regular job to four-fifths of full-time hours, and make up the remaining fifth through a flexi-job, which is more tax-efficient.
Under the scheme, workers do not pay tax on those extra hours, while employers pay a 28% contribution. Van Peteghem argued that this could ultimately place an unsustainable burden on public finances.
Clarinval said such fears were not supported by the evidence. Just 13 days after the reform took effect, he said, it was surprising to conclude already that the system was going off track.
He said 83% of flexi-job workers already hold full-time jobs. To qualify for a flexi-job, they would first have to voluntarily reduce their main job to four-fifths of full-time hours, he noted.
That, he said, would come with significant disadvantages, including lower pay, fewer holiday days, reduced holiday pay, a smaller end-of-year bonus and a waiting period of two quarters before becoming eligible for the flexi-job regime.
“For that reason, it is wrong to claim that workers would leave full-time jobs en masse to become flexi-job workers,” Clarinval said. He added that no study currently points to a substitution effect at the expense of regular employment.
Flexi-jobs remain, in most cases, a supplementary activity that provides additional income rather than a replacement for standard work, the employment minister said.
In 2025, flexi-job workers did an average of 229.2 hours a year, or 190.8 hours for those under 65. The median was 126 hours annually, falling to 106.2 hours for workers under 65.
Average annual income from flexi-jobs stood at €3,644, or €2,978 for those under 65. Median annual income was €1,896, compared with €1,593 for workers under 65.
Clarinval said the scheme therefore represents “an important resource for public finances.” He added that it also supports companies’ turnover and, in turn, generates tax revenue for the state.
