5 New Regulations to Integrate into Your HR Strategy Before Summer

For HR departments, early May 2026 brings a wave of concrete legislative updates. Between new pay ceilings, increased flexibility in working hours, and an imminent European deadline on pay transparency, it is easy to get overwhelmed by administrative tasks. However, these changes are opportunities to refine your talent strategy. Here is a summary of the 5 updates you need to integrate today to stay ahead.

1. New Minimum Wage: The €2,189 Threshold has been Crossed

This is the culmination of a long-standing revaluation plan. According to CBA (CCT) No. 43/18, the guaranteed average monthly minimum income (RMMMG) was increased by €35.70 as of April 1, 2026, bringing the reference amount to €2,189.81 per month.

This increase goes beyond payslips: it also impacts the calculation of flexi-jobs and apprenticeship allowances. To help companies absorb this extra cost, the government is further reducing employer contributions on low wages. We recommend quickly checking your sectoral scales to avoid any discrepancies.

⚠️ Good to know: The full RMMMG does not apply to students aged 18 to 20, nor to minors (16-17) under ordinary contracts. The degressive rates of CBA No. 50 continue to apply to them, unless there is a sectoral derogation.

2. Unified Regime for Voluntary Overtime

The long-awaited reform is here: the new voluntary overtime regime came into force retroactively on April 1, 2026. The law is now published and fully applicable.

What this means in practice:

• A single ceiling of 360 hours per year (450h for the Horeca sector), of which 240 hours are entirely exempt from social security contributions and taxes (the famous "gross = net").
• The written agreement with the employee is now valid for 1 year, tacitly renewable (up from 6 months previously), representing a significant administrative simplification.
• Agreements concluded before April 1, 2026, remain valid until they expire. Upon expiration, a new agreement under the new rules must be signed.

⚠️ Point of vigilance: Part-time workers can only perform voluntary overtime under strict conditions (temporary increase in workload + minimum 3 years of seniority in part-time status), except for transitional regimes for those already performing it.

3. Pay Transparency: The June 7, 2026, Deadline is Looming

This is THE HR topic of the moment. The European Directive (EU) 2023/970 on pay transparency must be transposed into Belgian law by June 7, 2026, at the latest. While the practical details are still being finalized by the Belgian legislator, the main guidelines are clear, and preparations can no longer wait.

Your new obligations, starting from recruitment:

• Communicate the salary range before any recruitment interview, based on objective and gender-neutral criteria.
• Prohibition of asking candidates about their current or past salary.
• Employees have a right of access to salary information and the average pay for categories of workers performing identical work or work of equal value.
• For companies with over 100 workers: Periodic reporting obligation on pay gaps. If the gap exceeds 5%, corrective measures are required.

💡 Expert Tip: Even if you employ fewer than 100 workers, you are affected by transparency obligations during hiring and throughout the contract. It is recommended to define your objective remuneration criteria now and document your salary policy to be ready by June 7.

4. More Flexibility for Part-Time Work

The legal framework is adapting to growing needs for flexibility. Since April 1, 2026, the minimum limit for a part-time contract has been lowered from 1/3 to 1/10th of a full-time weekly duration. In practice, it is now possible to conclude very short contracts, such as 4 hours per week.

This is a valuable lever for:

• Organizing progressive end-of-career transitions.
• Attracting experts for ultra-targeted missions.
• Setting up "side-activity" or "work-training" combinations.

Note: The principle that each work period must be at least 3 hours (with some exceptions) remains in place.

⚠️ Point of vigilance: Sectoral exceptions may still exist. Always check the agreements of your Joint Committee (Commission Paritaire) before applying this rule.

5. Travel Expenses: Which Mileage Rate to Apply?

If your employees use their personal vehicles for professional missions, two scales coexist and are accepted by the tax authorities:

1. Quarterly Indexation: €0.4327/km for the period from April 1 to June 30, 2026.
2. Annual Indexation: €0.4449/km for the period from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

These amounts allow you to reimburse your employees exempt from NSSO (ONSS) contributions and taxes. Warning: If you opt for the annual system, you must apply it for the entire period (until June 30, 2026). It is not possible to switch to the quarterly system mid-period.

Conclusion

Navigating the complexity of Belgian social law requires constant vigilance. Whether it's adjusting recruitment budgets, anticipating pay transparency, or personalizing talent career paths via reduced part-time work, these measures offer new levers for agility. The key to success this quarter? Rigorous application of these standards to ensure your company’s legal security, while remaining attentive to your employees' needs.

What if you managed people with the same precision as your payroll?

‍The law defines the framework, but engagement defines your results. As you adapt your contracts to these new standards, eBloom helps you measure the impact of these changes on team morale in real-time. Don’t just endure compliance, make it a performance driver.

Sources

CNT – Conseil National du Travail, CCT n° 43/18 – Salaire minimum (RMMMG) : cnt-nar.be/fr/dossiers-thematiques/salaire-minimum

SPF Emploi – Nouvelle réglementation des heures supplémentaires volontaires à partir du 1er avril 2026 : emploi.belgique.be/fr/actualites/nouvelle-reglementation-des-heures-supplementaires-volontaires-partir-du-1er-avril-2026

SPF Emploi – Transparence des rémunérations, Projet BE-MAGIC (Directive (UE) 2023/970) : emploi.belgique.be/fr/themes/egalite-et-non-discrimination/transparence-des-remunerations-projet-be-magic

Securex – Transparence des rémunérations : où en sommes-nous (avril 2026) : securex.be/fr/lex4you/employeur/actualites/transparence-des-remunerations-ou-en-sommes-nous

SD Worx – Durée du travail – réforme du temps partiel 2026 : sdworx.be/fr-be/actua-tendances/administration-du-personnel/duree-du-travail

Attentia – Indemnité kilométrique déplacements professionnels au 1er avril 2026 (Circulaire n° 764) : attentia.be/fr/actualites/indemnite-kilometrique-deplacements-professionnels/

Acerta – Quels changements pour les employeurs en 2026 (RMMMG, flexi-jobs, transparence) : acerta.be/fr/inspiration/quels-changements-pour-les-employeurs-en-2026

Partena Professional – Prêt pour 2026 ? Principales modifications pour les employeurs : partena-professional.be/fr/nos-connaissances/infoflashes/pret-pour-2026-decouvrez-les-principales-modifications-pour-les

‍