The temporary unemployment benefit will be reduced on the 1st of January 2015. It will be 65% of the recipient’s salary instead of 70%. If a worker is temporarily unemployed for economic reasons, they can get a replacement income for the days they haven’t worked, under certain conditions. This is why it’s a temporary unemployment benefit. A government bill will reduce this benefit in January.
Up to now, this benefit was 75% of their salary if the worker lived with a partner or had a family to look after. It was 70% in other cases. It will now be 65% of the salary from the 1st of January.
The Christian Syndicate CSC says that due to this measure, 169,000 people registered as unemployed as they are on part-time hours will lose 9% of their income.
(Source: Belga)