Unizo Limburg Unveils 7 Bold Wishes to transform the Business Climate in 2025
In a bid to foster a more robust business environment, Unizo Limburg has unveiled a New Year’s letter outlining seven key priorities. These proposals, distilled from hundreds of conversations with Limburg entrepreneurs, aim to address long-standing challenges and inject vitality into the region’s economy. From limiting severance payments to reducing taxes for sole proprietorships, the suggestions are both innovative and pragmatic.
The 7 Wishes: A Blueprint for Change
- Dimmable Careers
“Today you have a system for people who work, and one for those who are disabled,” say Christophe Wels and Bart Lodewyckx, chairman and managing director of Unizo Limburg. “We argue for gradations, for transitional measures, whereby someone who switches from not working to a job does not immediately lose all social and tax benefits. In other words: make work ‘dimmable’, so that people move more quickly to a job with a range of tasks that are within their competencies.”
- More Flexis
With the labor market tightening, Unizo Limburg proposes extending the flexi-job status to all sectors, allowing students to work up to 600 hours, and taxing classic overtime under a favorable regime. “Given the tightness on the labor market, it should be possible for all obstacles to be removed for people who want to work extra hours,” thay emphasize.
- Stop Crazy Severance Payments
while acknowledging the need for a safety net for dismissed employees, Unizo Limburg argues that severance payments should not become a savings pot.“It regularly happens that people with a long track record suddenly start to perform inadequately as they know it is indeed too expensive to fire them. That shouldn’t be allowed,” they state.
- Deduction for Sole Proprietorships
Highlighting the disparity in tax burdens,Unizo Limburg calls for equal entrepreneurial deductions regardless of legal form. “About half of the companies in Limburg are sole proprietorships, the rest are companies. The difference in tax burden is enormous,” they note.
- Eliminate Unneeded Permits and Questions
Permit procedures are often lengthy and cumbersome. Unizo Limburg advocates for shorter processes and the cancellation of irrelevant permits and questions. “Permit procedures take far too long. That should be much shorter,” they assert.
- Prescribing Behavior in Question
Unizo Limburg urges a closer examination of therapists’ prescribing behavior, particularly for long-term ill employees. “It is indeed sometimes mind-boggling how long some employees are put on hold for a ‘trumpet’.And in the meantime, costs for employers are skyrocketing,” they explain.
A Call to Action
Unizo Limburg has meticulously compiled these wishes into a memorandum,which will be presented to various political levels. The hope is that these proposals will translate into concrete actions, addressing the challenges faced by Limburg entrepreneurs and fostering a more dynamic business climate.
| Priority | Key Proposal |
|———————————-|———————————————————————————-|
| Dimmable Careers | Introduce transitional measures for social and tax benefits. |
| More Flexis | Extend flexi-job status to all sectors and increase student work hours. |
| Stop Crazy Severance Payments | Limit severance payments to prevent misuse. |
| Deduction for sole Proprietorships | Equalize entrepreneurial deductions across legal forms. |
| Eliminate Unnecessary Permits | Shorten permit procedures and cancel irrelevant permits. |
| Prescribing Behavior in Question | Review therapists’ prescribing behavior for long-term ill employees. |
As Unizo Limburg takes these proposals forward, the focus remains on creating a business environment that is both supportive and innovative. The ball is now in the court of policymakers to turn these wishes into reality.
For more insights into Unizo Limburg’s initiatives, visit their Instagram page or explore their latest UNIZO Magazine.
