In Flanders, 614,487 workers who earn no more than 2,500 euros per month have already received their job bonus. This is evident from figures that Flemish Member of Parliament Tom Ongena (Open VLD) has requested from Minister of Work Jo Brouns (CD&V).
Those who work in Flanders and earn no more than 2,500 euros gross per month are entitled to the Flemish job bonus. This amounts to 600 euros net. The job bonus was a point of contention for the Flemish liberals. ‘With the job bonus we want to reward those who work better. The difference between working and not working must be greater in order to get more people to work’, says Ongena.
The job bonus is awarded automatically. The first letters went out at the beginning of November. Meanwhile, 614,487 people have received the job bonus on their account.
In total, the Flemish government has already paid out almost 176 million euros in premiums. With 176,181, the province of Antwerp provides the most beneficiaries, followed by East Flanders (142,409). Most recipients are between 25 and 50 years old. They received an average amount of 290 euros on their account.
Many beneficiaries work in the sector of service checks and temporary employment, with 33.82% and 11.83% of workers in the sector concerned being entitled to the job bonus respectively. For the service checks, this concerns almost 150,000 employees. ‘Wages are often lower there than elsewhere. The job bonus is therefore a nice extra income for these people,’ says Ongena.
About 730,000 people were entitled to the job bonus. This means that more than 100,000 working Flemish people still have to receive their bonus.
The group will be expanded from this year onwards. The lower limit increases from 1,800 euros gross monthly wage to 1,950 euros, the upper limit from 2,500 to 2,900 euros. As a result, nearly 900,000 working Flemish people will receive a job bonus at the end of this year.
