Belgium grants full employment rights to sex workers

Sex workers in Belgium have gained rights to sick leave, maternity benefits, and retirement under the world's first law of this kind. The new regulations, passed by the Belgian parliament in May 2024, took effect on December 1. They grant sex workers the same employment protection as any other employee.

In 2022, sex work was decriminalized in Belgium, but this change did not grant workers employment protection or rights such as unemployment benefits or health insurance. The new regulations aim to eliminate the "grey area" and equalize rights for those in this industry with other workers in Belgium. They do not apply to individuals working independently.

According to the new regulations, sex workers can refuse to provide services to certain individuals or refuse specific activities and stop at any time. They cannot be fired for such refusals. Employers must register their businesses in Belgium, and their premises must have panic buttons, clean linens, showers, and condoms.

Under Belgian law, sex workers now have the right to enter employment contracts and earn at least minimum wage. They also have the right to form trade unions and negotiate working conditions, which gives them greater control over their employment situations. The law also addresses workplace security issues, ensuring appropriate conditions and protection from client violence.

The Belgian Sex Workers' Union described the law as a "huge step forward, ending the legal discrimination of sex workers." However, they cautioned that these regulations could be "exploited" to restrict or attempt to eliminate sex work. The union stated, "We already see some municipalities using 'safety' and 'hygiene' to declare very strict local regulations that make providing sexual services almost impossible in their areas."

Source: theguardian.com