Severance pay in lieu of notice in Belgium
Compensation in lieu of notice replaces the notice period. The contract stops at once and the party ending it pays the wages for the weeks that are not worked. That applies to your employer, but also to you if you leave without notice.
When is it due?
Whoever ends the contract without serious cause and without sufficient notice pays the other party compensation. No formal rules apply: it can even be done orally, although putting it in writing helps you prove it later.
Source: FOD Werkgelegenheid, ontslag met betaling van een opzeggingsvergoeding (checked on 23 October 2026)
How is it calculated?
The compensation is the current pay for the full term or for the part that remains, plus the benefits under your contract. If your pay is partly variable, the average of the twelve months before the dismissal is used.
Because the term is in weeks, a monthly salary is converted by multiplying it by 3 and dividing by 13. At 2,500 euros gross a month that gives 576.92 euros a week.
According to Securex the basis includes, among other things, a white-collar worker's double holiday pay, a year-end premium you are entitled to, private use of a company car and the employer's contribution to meal vouchers and group insurance. Reimbursed expenses, the wage bonus and the profit premium are excluded.
If your contract started from 1 June 2026, the compensation is also limited to the pay and benefits of 52 weeks at most.
Sources: FOD Werkgelegenheid, ontslag met betaling van een opzeggingsvergoeding (checked on 23 October 2026); Securex Lex4You, hoe wordt de opzegvergoeding berekend? (bijgewerkt 6 februari 2026) (checked on 23 October 2026); Securex Lex4You, opzeggingstermijn: een plafond van 52 weken voor nieuwe arbeidsovereenkomsten (2 juni 2026, wet van 18 mei 2026) (checked on 23 October 2026)
Payment
In principle your employer pays the compensation in one go. Only a company recognised as being in difficulty or facing exceptionally unfavourable economic circumstances may pay in monthly instalments.
Source: FOD Werkgelegenheid, ontslag met betaling van een opzeggingsvergoeding (checked on 23 October 2026)
What our calculator shows
The calculator uses 13.92 monthly salaries a year divided by 52 weeks. That is the FPS weekly pay plus a year-end premium of one month's salary and a white-collar worker's double holiday pay. A company car, meal vouchers and other benefits come on top.
Sources: FOD Werkgelegenheid, ontslag met betaling van een opzeggingsvergoeding (checked on 23 October 2026); Securex Lex4You, hoe wordt de opzegvergoeding berekend? (bijgewerkt 6 februari 2026) (checked on 23 October 2026)
What is your term?
Choose who gives notice and since when you have been employed, and see your number of weeks and last day straight away.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay compensation myself if I leave immediately?
Yes. If you stop without working your notice and without your employer's agreement, you owe the pay for the remaining weeks. An agreement on an earlier end date avoids that.
Sources: FOD Werkgelegenheid, ontslag met betaling van een opzeggingsvergoeding (checked on 23 October 2026); FOD Werkgelegenheid, andere wijzen van beëindiging (onderling akkoord, overmacht) (checked on 23 October 2026)
Does a pay rise that starts after my dismissal count?
No. According to Securex the current pay at the moment of termination counts; an indexation or rise that starts later, even during the term, is not included.
Source: Securex Lex4You, hoe wordt de opzegvergoeding berekend? (bijgewerkt 6 februari 2026) (checked on 23 October 2026)
General information based on the law and the sources listed. Your collective agreement, your contract and your payroll provider or union remain decisive for your own situation.
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