What is a joint committee and how does it work in Belgium? Understanding how the competent joint committee is determined and what collective labour agreements mean

Which joint committee does your company belong to? For many employers, that single question opens one of the least understood corners of Belgian labour law, especially when it comes to pay and working conditions. Yet it matters enormously: every Belgian company in the private sector belongs to a specific joint committee, and as an employer you have to follow that committee's own set of rules.

In this article, we explain step by step everything you need to know about joint committees. We look at how the competent joint committee is determined, but also at what that means for your employees, your pay policy and your working conditions. Along the way, we cover the role of the Federal Public Service Employment (FPS Employment) and the social dialogue between employer and employee organisations.

Want to dig into this? Read on and get a clearer picture of how the different joint committees work. Whether you are responsible for HR in your company, an employer, or a self-employed person taking on staff, this article will help.

What do joint committees actually do?

A joint committee is the official consultation body where employers and employee organisations within a given sector negotiate pay and working conditions. This process, known as social dialogue, results in collective labour agreements (CLAs) that are legally binding on every company belonging to that particular joint committee.

In practice, a joint committee decides on, among other things:

• minimum wages and salary scales;
• indexation and pay scales per job category;
• working time, rest breaks and overtime;
• premiums for night, weekend or public-holiday work;
• benefits such as eco-vouchers, meal vouchers and training rights;
• rules on annual leave, public holidays and notice periods;
• contributions to sectoral funds and social security contributions;
• procedures for dismissal or restructuring.

Every agreement reached is set down in a collective labour agreement. And it is binding: once your company belongs to a joint committee, you cannot simply choose not to apply a CLA.

The rules differ sharply from one sector to another. A bakery, for example, falls under a different joint committee (such as JC 118 for the food industry) than a transport company (JC 140). That is why it is crucial to determine the competent joint committee correctly and to check which CLAs apply to your activity.

How are joint committees organised?

Since 1 January 2025, Belgium has 164 joint committees, each with its own number, sector description and area of competence. Each one represents a specific sector within the private sector, where employers and employee organisations negotiate collective labour agreements (CLAs) and working conditions.

Some well-known examples of joint committees:

• JC 302: Hospitality
• JC 140.05: Removals sector
• JC 307: Brokers and insurance agents
• JC 109: Metal industry
• JC 311: Wholesale
• JC 200: Supplementary national joint committee for white-collar workers

There are also joint subcommittees, for example 140.01 to 140.05, which represent even more specific subsectors within one broader sector. This way, the competent joint committee is always matched as precisely as possible to a company's economic activity.

Why the right joint committee matters

Determining which joint committee your company falls under is essential, because as an employer you must comply with the legal rules and CLAs that apply within that committee.

In concrete terms, this means, among other things:

• applying the correct minimum wage and the sectoral salary scales;
• respecting the CLAs of the competent joint committee;
• submitting Dimona (immediate employment declaration) filings with the correct JC number;
• drawing up employment contracts and annexes in line with the applicable sector rules;
• granting your staff the correct premiums, allowances and benefits.

A wrong classification under a joint committee can lead to NSSO corrections, pay claims or administrative penalties. The inspection services actively check this.

On top of that, employees can later file wage claims if it turns out they fall under a different, better-paid JC. Getting the competent joint committee right therefore prevents disputes, legal complications and financial risks.

How to find your joint committee

• Determine your company's core business, so you know which joint committee you belong to.
• Check your NACE code in the CBE (Crossroads Bank for Enterprises) and seek advice from your social secretariat or FPS Employment (via coa@werk.belgie.be).

The correct determination of the competent joint committee depends on your sector and the type of employment contract. For instance, the joint committee for white-collar workers applies to administrative staff, but in some sectors, or across different joint committees, subcommittees or another JC may apply instead.

The General Directorate for Collective Labour Relations oversees the competence of the joint committees and the supervision of social legislation. Consult the FPS website or your social secretariat to identify the correct competent joint committee for your company.

Temps, flexi-jobbers and students: what applies?

Students and flexi-jobbers have no separate joint committee: they fall under the joint committee of the sector where they happen to be working at the time. For temporary agency work (agency workers), JC 322 applies in principle, but this committee is mainly administrative: agency workers follow the pay and working conditions of the user's joint committee (the company where they actually work).

What to do when a CLA changes

As an employer, you are required to implement the changes immediately and apply them yourself. This is something to watch closely, because CLAs can change regularly. Think of new premiums, or adjustments to breaks or working hours.

For your own sake, then, you are better off keeping a close eye on this to avoid the risk of fines or wage claims.

Why are there so many joint committees?

There really are a lot of different joint committees, and the reason is simple: every sector deals with different working conditions. Compare someone working in construction with someone doing administrative work. In terms of insurance and safety, the two are clearly not the same, because on a building site the risks are far higher.

Someone working in hospitality, in turn, receives extra premiums on Sundays and public holidays, while in some other sectors weekend work is even prohibited. In short: a single uniform set of rules for every sector simply is not logical or workable.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

❓ Do I always have to mention the joint committee on the employment contract? Yes, that is mandatory. This way, both employer and employee know which collective labour agreement (CLA) applies.

❓ Who decides which joint committee I have to use? The NSSO and the joint committees themselves. Your social secretariat or FPS Employment can help you determine the competent joint committee.

❓ Can I opt for JC 200 because it seems simpler? No. JC 200 (the Supplementary Joint Committee) only applies when your activity does not fall under another competent joint committee.

❓ How many joint committees are there in Belgium? Since 1 January 2025, there have been 164 joint committees, each with its own CLAs and sectoral agreements.

❓ What if I use the wrong joint committee? Then you risk wage claims from employees, NSSO corrections, and even fines or damages in the event of an inspection.

How Recruit helps

When you register a temporary worker, Umeris selects the right joint committee for you. The software immediately calculates the correct salary scale according to the applicable collective labour agreements. Contracts and Dimona filings are automatically adjusted to the chosen competent joint committee. And everything stays up to date with the latest CLA changes and the legal requirements of FPS Employment.

Ready to simplify your temp management? With Recruit, you can be sure that every registration is handled correctly, quickly and fully digitally, without having to work out the complex determination of the competent joint committee yourself.

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Discover how Umeris simplifies your payroll administration and always keeps you within the right competence of the joint committees.