The summer holidays have already started and a trend is growing this year: more and more active Belgians are opting for “workation”, that is to say going on holiday, but still continuing to work. Contraction of the Anglicisms “work” and “vacation”, this neologism defines the fact of telecommuting in a flexible framework, traditionally reserved for leisure. Concretely, this generally translates into teleworking from home or in a coworking place in your own country. For others, the ‘workation’ (combination of work and vacation) is also an attractive option.
This new way of working, which combines leisure and remote professional activity in hybrid places, whether before or following the holidays, is attracting more and more people. Recent figures from Europ Assistance indicate that one in five Belgians have chosen to work at their holiday destination this summer. “It is authorized in Belgium but it is not a given, recalls Frédéric Hespel, expert in international employment at Acerta Consult. This is authorized when possible and subject to an agreement with his employer on the method, place, duration and availability at certain specific times. It therefore requires an agreement between the two parties, which implies hours of presence at predefined times.
With the rise of telecommuting and self-employment, this way of living and working has really taken off. Workers can then settle in “workstations”, that is to say spaces designed as a mix between coworking space and guest room, or even youth hostels.
Accident at work, tax declaration: beware of unpleasant surprises
“We can see that this is a practice that is increasingly used, he notes. The latest figures are impressive and find their inspiration in the Covid crisis, which has highlighted telework. Finally, among employees, we say to ourselves that it does not matter where I work as long as I am allowed to work from home, and therefore why not abroad or in a second residence.
If it may seem idyllic, this way of working is not adaptable to all profiles, you have to be able to work remotely and keep to a certain discipline. “A lot of employees and employers forget the legal and administrative side, observe Frédéric Hespel. For example, if the employer does not make a declaration of secondment to the ONSS and the employee breaks his foot in Spain in his hotel room, the insurer may be reluctant to recognize the fracture as being a work accident. In addition, secondment under Belgian social security within the EU can take place up to a maximum of 24 months, without forgetting the impact of the tax declaration on pay: from six months, this can haves. “
Thanks to teleworking abroad, companies also see an opportunity to take an additional step towards more flexibility. “For employees, this can be an interesting format to work in while prolonging the holiday feeling a little longer”underlines Joël Poilvache, director at Robert Half.
