Flemish training leave: collective right of initiative during the school year 2021-2022

The aim of the collective initiative right is to increase the training participation of employees (mainly those with lower schooling). Both employees and employers may propose training courses.

The quota of leave hours during the 2021-2022 school year will also be increased from 125 to a maximum of 250 hours, but these additional 125 hours will only apply if employees are also following a course proposed by their employer.

If the employee follows a training course on his own initiative, he is entitled to a maximum of 125 hours. The application for reimbursement must explicitly state whether the training is followed at the employee's own initiative, or at the initiative of the employer.

In addition, the minimum requirement of 32 training hours is also eased. The employee is no longer required to follow a course of at least 32 contact hours, but may combine modules from different labour market-oriented courses next school year to meet this requirement.

The collective right of initiative is for the time being only valid for the next school year as an experiment. The scheme will come into force on 1 September 2021, and will cease to operate on 31 August 2022.

^{Source: Flemish Government Decree of 18 June 2021 to determine temporary deviations from the Flemish Government Decree of 21 December 2018 to implement section 6 - granting of paid educational leave in the context of continuous training of employees - of chapter IV of the Recovery Act of 22 January 1985 containing social provisions and to amend Article 4 of the Decree of the Flemish Government of 17 May 2013 on career guidance, GG 1 July 2021, p. 66855.}