"Vlerick Alumni and Liedekerke Advocaten invite you to a high-level debate one the Unity Status (i.e. the unification of statutes of blue and white collar workers) with minister Monica De Coninck, Chris Van Doorslaer (CEO Cartamundi Group), Bart Buysse (General Manager VBO) and Paul Geerebaert (Partner Liedekerke Advocaten)."
(http://www.vlerick.com/en/events/events/debat-met-minister-m...

"Exit Calculator 1.0.1

Device: iOS Universal
Category: Business
Price: Free, Version: 1.0.1 (iTunes)

Description:

This is the most comprehensive app available to assist with calculating severance pay and/or contract fees for both white-collar and blue-collar employees, in line with the new Belgian legislation (i.e. the ‘eenheidsstatuut’ that has introduced one single status for all employees).

Source: Trefzeker and the social-law database of Acerta."

(http://appshopper448.rssing.com/chan-15770646/all_p253.html )

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Note added at 2 hrs (2016-05-25 07:25:08 GMT)
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"Single employment status: the end of blue and white collars

The law on the single employment status, published at Memorial A 60 on May 15 2008, came into force on January 1 2009, although the provisions governing the setting up of new institutions or the election of staff delegations have been enforceable since May 15 2008. The law modifies the Labour Code and the Social Insurances Code, which becomes the Social Security Code in order to emphasize the preventive aspect of social security bodies' action. The law ends the distinction between blue and white-collar workers, dating back to the era of the booming steel industry.

[…]

Collective bargaining agreement
Until the end of 2008 undertakings were authorized, where necessary, to conclude one collective bargaining agreement for blue-collar workers and one for white-collar workers. Since January 1 2009, employers have been invited, when negotiating collective bargaining agreements, to favour a single regime applicable to all employees. However, distinct collective bargaining agreements may still coexist within a company or sector until December 31 2013.

[…]

Supplementary pensions
Owing to the funding system by capitalization peculiar to the supplementary pension schemes, the introduction of the single employment status does not automatically confer vested rights on persons for whom provisions have not been made or contributions have not been paid. Two legislative measures have been taken under which: (i) the personal scope of a pension scheme is not automatically extended by the introduction of the single employment status; and (ii) Article 8 of the law on the supplementary pension regimes is modified with a view to enabling a differentiation between schemes based on the date of their entry into force or date of admission to a pension scheme. "

(http://www.internationallawoffice.com/Newsletters/Employment... )

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Note added at 2 hrs (2016-05-25 07:30:44 GMT)
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"The Union of Luxembourg Companies (Union des Entreprises Luxembourgeoises, UEL) considered, at the time of the negotiations on the single employment status, that the statistics on absenteeism due to illness confirmed a continuous increase in the problem. Moreover, in the opinion of UEL, the strong disparities existing between men and women and resident workers and cross-border workers, as shown by recent statistical data, underlined the obviously abusive nature of absenteeism (see Table 1). As companies were assuming a risk which formerly was the responsibility of the sick-benefit funds, they must be able to reinforce the administrative and medical controls on the workers.

Trade unions did not express an official position on this issue. On several occasions, however, they stated that the strengthening of controls practised by certain companies was unjustified. In addition, the law on the single employment status introduced the continuation of wages in the event of sickness payable by the employer to any of the employees. In this regard – and as certain companies seem to pay only the basic salary – the trade unions called on the public authorities to clarify that the labour regulation stipulates that the employee must be remunerated for the period of continuation of the wages as if they had continued to work.

[…]

The question of absence from work is a sensitive topic in Luxembourg. It is not so much the level of absenteeism which raises questions, as this rate is lower than in bordering countries, for example. However, since the introduction of the single employment status, the cost that absence from work generates is an issue for companies which have many former blue-collar workers among their personnel. During the negotiations on the introduction of the single employment status, the employers had agreed to create one status for white-collar and blue-collar workers on condition that measures are taken to better manage absenteeism."

(http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/es/observatories/eurwork/comp... )

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Note added at 2 hrs (2016-05-25 07:43:37 GMT)
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see also:

"On 26 December 2013 the Belgian Parliament adopted the Act regarding the introduction of a unified status for
blue and white collar workers, with respect to the notice periods, the ‘carenz day’ and related policy measures
(hereafter the ‘Unified Status Act’).

[…]

The Act lays down the notice periods to be observed by both employer and employee when terminating an
employment agreement of indefinite duration. Before the Unified Status Act, certain categories of white collar
employees had to enter into negotiations with their employer to agree on a ‘suitable notice period’. This led to
numerous judicial procedures before the Belgian labour courts, the development of divergent and complex case
law and even the introduction of mathematical formulas by legal practitioners (e.g. the well-known Claeys
formula) which had to serve as practical guidelines for the employer and the employee."

(http://www.pwc.be/en/hr-law-newsletter/2014/memorendum-unifi... )