Flexi-jobs are not meeting the goals used to justify their expansion and could weaken social security funding, Ecolo said after a review by the National Labour Council.
The criticism follows a study by the Federal Planning Bureau and the Court of Audit, presented to the social partners, on the system, which was introduced in 2015 for the hospitality sector and later expanded - in 2018, 2023, 2024 and 2026 - to cover all areas of the economy.
The analysis focused only on hospitality, the only sector where the scheme has been in use long enough to allow meaningful assessment.
While the study stops short of drawing firm conclusions, it identifies a limited but negative impact on regular employment in Flanders, where flexi-jobs are used far more than elsewhere.
According to the findings, the scheme appears mainly to have replaced part-time work, temporary agency jobs and seasonal contracts.
The study also notes an effect on undeclared work but says this is primarily linked to the introduction of the registered cash till system rather than to flexi-jobs themselves.
“Behind these figures are lost opportunities for stable employment for those who need it most: jobseekers, people excluded from unemployment benefits who end up relying on social welfare centres or with nothing at all, and young graduates trying to enter the labour market,” said Sarah Schlitz, leader of the Ecolo-Groen group in the Chamber.
“By replacing jobs that are subject to social security contributions with flexi-jobs that contribute less, the government is also organising the gradual defunding of our social security system,” she added. “Despite this, the government has chosen to generalise the system to all sectors without having a serious assessment of its consequences.”
