Am I entitled to Paid Educational Leave?

Flemish Training Leave (VOV)

When you follow a course in an adult education centre, you sometimes have the opportunity to get extra leave without wage loss. You can use these additional holidays, for example, to follow the lessons or to study at home. Your employer does not experience any financial disadvantage because these days are reimbursed by the government to your employer.

Flemish training leave is a guaranteed right that must be granted to the employee. Your employer cannot, in principle, invoke a reason to refuse or limit the duration of Flemish training leave, provided that the training followed meets the legal conditions and that the organisation of the work is not compromised.

A full-time employee is entitled to a maximum of 125 hours of VOV per school year.

For a part-time employee (at least 50%), this maximum is limited in proportion to his or her employment percentage.

More information about Flemish training leave (VOV) can be found at https://www.werk.be/online-diensten/vlaams-opleidingsverlof.

Caution:- VOV can only be requested for the following languages: English, German, French and this up to level 2.4 (B1) and for Dutch up to and including level 3.1.

Also, see the training database for Flemish training incentives.

Participation in all evaluation components is required.

Paid Educational Leave (BEV)

Anyone who started a course with BEV in 2018-2019 can continue until December 2021 under the same conditions.

A training course comprises the courses of the same target degree.

If you want to use this right, it is advisable to mention it at the time of registration. Hand in a completed CLT application form at the office.

The administrative staff will in their turn draw up an application form, which you then submit to your employer without delay. These documents will be sent by post.

Regulations concerning educational leave stipulate that certificates of attendance shall be delivered per period of three months. Per period, anything exceeding 10% of unjustified absence will result in the loss of your right to Paid Educational Leave for 6 months.

More information on educational leave is available on the government website http://www.werk.belgie.be/defaultTab.aspx?id=536.