Go back

What if the World Cup lives on in the workplace?

18 November 2022 Nele Mertens Employers

The kick-off of the World Cup is also the kick-off of ‘football mania’. What if your employees can’t kick the football spirit during working hours?

Reading time: Read later?

Football colours at the workplace

Some supporters want to come to the workplace in supporters’ colours, but is that allowed? As an employer, it is best to establish the necessary clothingrules, ideally in the employment regulations. You can – if the agreements are not respected – attach possible sanctions to that.

As an employer, you should also always bear legislation on well-being at work in mind, where protective clothing may be required in certain circumstances.

Taking holidays to watch football

If your employees want to watch the games that are on during working hours, they can request(unpaid) leavein advance. How much in advance that leave must be requested might be stated in the employment regulations. As an employer, you can then give your consent (or not).

Football reverberates after at work

Your employees must do their work carefully, honestly and accurately. Suppose your employee is too tired to do his/her job properly, or is even still under the influence of alcohol; you can speak to your employee about this and give him/her a warning. You can also ask him/her to take time off.

Are you allowed to monitor your employees?

What if, as an employer, you wish to check whether your employee(s) are watching a football match during working hours? In that case, you have to take into account your employees’ right to privacy that applies in the workplace and beyond and CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) 81.

If you meet the conditions from the privacy legislation, you can check your employees. You will have to argue this properly, though. The business interest should outweigh the invasion of privacy. What can and may be done will varyfrom case to case and sector to sector.

CBA 81 deals with the control of internet and email use at work. This CBA that employee privacy is respected when the employer collects and/or monitors data from electronic network communications. The CBA incorporates the three fundamental principles of privacy law (finality, proportionality and transparency).

Stay up to date with social legislation

Our experts are ready to inform, advise and support you.

Contact us

Share this post

Written by Nele Mertens

Juridisch adviseur

Related articles

Employers

Late to work due to traffic disruption

15 September 2023 Miet Vanhegen

What if your employees arrive late to work because of traffic disruption? Are they still entitled to their wages?

Read more
Employers

What if your employee is tuck at his holiday destination?

03 August 2023 Dries Rutten

Extreme weather such as fierce forest fires and hailstorms upset the holidays of many Belgians. For holidaymakers hit by severe weather, starting start the journey home in good time is by no means easy. What if your employee is unable to return in time to resume work?

Read more
Employers

What if there's too much or too little work during the holidays?

25 July 2023 Amandine Boseret

While the summer period is not a busy one for lots of companies, peace and quiet can be hard to find when your employees are on holiday. Those left behind often have to take on more tasks – the duties of those absent. What's the best way to prepare for the hustle and bustle, or the calm, of the summer holidays? What if there's too much work? What i...

Read more