Belgian legislation requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with a disability, and there are substantial subsidies available for workplace adaptations and wage cost compensation. Yet it is estimated that only ~40% of persons with a disability in Belgium are employed — vs ~70% of the general working population. There is therefore both a legal and a business case for employers to build an accessible workplace strategy.
This pillar is the complete deepdive for Belgian employers.
⚖️ Legal context — duty to accommodate
Anti-Discrimination Act 2007
Belgium's Act to combat certain forms of discrimination (10 May 2007) requires employers to provide "reasonable accommodations" for employees with a disability. "Reasonable" = accommodations that are not disproportionately burdensome for the employer, taking into account:
- Company size + financial capacity
- Nature of the accommodation (physical/organisational)
- Available grants + subsidies (can make an accommodation "reasonable")
Refusal of a reasonable accommodation may be considered discrimination → sanctions possible via Unia (federal human rights institution).
UN Convention on Disability (Belgium ratified 2009)
Article 27 requires access to work — including reasonable accommodations. Belgium reports periodically to the UN committee.
European Accessibility Act (June 2025)
See our EAA 1-year review pillar. Impact on employers: digital workplace tools must be accessible (websites, HR systems, e-learning).
💰 Flemish subsidies — VDAB VOP
Flemish Support Subsidy (VOP)
VDAB subsidy for employers who hire or retain someone with a work-related disability. Compensates the loss of productivity and adaptation costs.
Amount: 20% to 60% of wages (depending on the recognised degree of disability), maximum 5 years, renewable.
Application: via vdab.be/vop or through your VDAB consultant.
VDAB workplace adaptation grant
For workplace adaptations — desk, software, accessibility assistive devices. The employer receives the subsidy after the adaptation is invoiced.
VDAB interpreter hours for deaf/hard-of-hearing
Free Flemish sign language interpreter during working hours (job interview, training, meetings). Employee or employer can apply.
🇫🇷 Walloon subsidies — AVIQ + Le Forem
AVIQ intervention for employers
AVIQ (Agence pour une Vie de Qualité) in Wallonia offers similar interventions for employers who hire persons with a disability — workplace adaptation + wage cost reduction.
Contact: aviq.be + regional AVIQ consultant.
Le Forem — inclusive recruitment
Le Forem (Walloon VDAB equivalent) supports both job seekers with a disability and employers who want to recruit inclusively.
🇧🇷 Brussels subsidies — Actiris + PHARE
Actiris — Guichet handicap
Actiris has a special desk for disability files in Brussels. Supports both applicants and employers.
PHARE (COCOF)
PHARE in French-speaking Brussels offers subsidies for workplace adaptations + placement support.
See our VDAB/Actiris deepdive for the complete regional subsidy comparison.
🏢 Workplace adaptations — concrete
🚪 Access to the building
- Accessible parking — minimum 1 accessible space per 50 (Vlarem standards), ideally closer to the entrance
- Accessible main entrance — ramp/lift, no high thresholds, door wide enough (min 90 cm)
- Door operation — automatic doors or push button at wheelchair height
🖥️ The workplace itself
- Accessible desk — height-adjustable (electric is best)
- Accessible chair (if needed) — ergonomic for the specific disability
- Accessible PC configuration:
- Magnification software (ZoomText, Windows Magnifier)
- Screen reader (JAWS, NVDA for blind users)
- Voice command (Dragon NaturallySpeaking)
- Accessible mice (trackball, roll-mouse, eye control)
- Accessible keyboard (large keys, one-handed keyboard, Braille)
🚽 Sanitary facilities
- Accessible toilet according to standards — grab bars, turning circle minimum 150 cm, alarm cord
- Accessible height washbasin
- Accessible shower (if the company has a shower facility) — roll-in, seating option
🏃 Emergency exit + safety
- Accessible escape route — without stairs or with an evacuation chair/aid
- Accessible alarm — visual for deaf people (flashing lights), tactile for deafblind people
- Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) per employee with a disability
🍽️ Canteen + common areas
- Accessible canteen — tables at wheelchair height, buffet at reachable height
- Accessible meeting room — turning circle + wheelchair space at the table
👔 Inclusive HR policy
Recruitment
- Publish vacancies on VDAB-Handicap, Actiris-Guichet-Handicap, GTB (specialised trajectory counsellor)
- Inclusive vacancy text — mention explicitly that you facilitate accommodations
- Adapted application flow — telephone/video option for people who cannot come in person, sign language interpreter available
Onboarding
- Pre-audit of the workplace + install accommodations
- Buddy system for the first weeks
- Clear information about accommodations, subsidies, contact person within HR
Work organisation
- Flexible working hours — for medical appointments, energy management
- Remote work option — can reduce accommodation costs and increase accessibility
- Job crafting — adapt job content to the employee's capabilities
Retention + career progression
- Development opportunities just as good as for other employees
- Regular evaluation of whether the accommodations still suffice
- Support during progression of the disability (e.g. progressive MS, RA)
📊 Business case for employers
Financial
- VOP subsidy: 20-60% of wages compensated (Flanders)
- Workplace adaptation grant: up to full cost of the assistive device
- Tax deduction for adaptation investments (company assets)
Talent pool
- Broader recruitment pool — especially in a tight labour market
- Diversity = proven contribution to innovation + team performance
- Employee loyalty: persons with a disability who are well supported have lower turnover
Reputation + ESG
- Employer branding — inclusive companies attract more talent (in general, not only those with a disability)
- ESG reporting — inclusion is part of the S in ESG (important for investors, customers, public procurement)
- Customer impact — 15% of your customers have a disability themselves or family with a disability
🎯 Concrete steps — where to start?
Step 1: Self-audit of the workplace
- Physical audit (entrance, sanitary facilities, workplaces)
- Digital audit (internal software, HR systems, e-learning platform)
- Report with priorities
Step 2: Contact a regional organisation
- Flanders: VDAB consultant for employers
- Wallonia: AVIQ / Le Forem
- Brussels: Actiris-Guichet-Handicap / PHARE
Step 3: Adaptation budget + planning
- Prioritise based on the audit + initial recruitment goals
- Apply for subsidies before making adaptations (important for VDAB VOP)
Step 4: Start inclusive recruitment
- Publish through specialised channels
- Work together with GTB for targeted matching
Step 5: Communicate internally
- Internal training for the team
- HR buddy system
- Define the welcome flow
🏆 Belgian best-practice examples
Large companies with strong inclusion practices
- DPG Media — inclusive HR practices + visible wheelchair-using employees
- KBC — dedicated diversity team + inclusive-hiring programs
- Colruyt Group — inclusive recruitment + accessible workstations in distribution centres
- Belfius — inclusion strategy part of HR KPIs
Social workplaces (adapted work)
For employees with a heavier disability, a maatwerkbedrijf (Flemish designation) or entreprise de travail adapté (ETA in Wallonia — adapted work enterprise) can offer an accessible workplace. See Flemish Custom Work Decree info or AVIQ for the ETA list.
📚 Toolkits + resources
- VDAB VOP info: vdab.be/vop
- Unia (federal human rights institute): unia.be — for advice when in doubt about reasonable accommodations
- GTB (Specialised Trajectory Counselling) — gtb.be — matching employer-candidate
- Diversity Charter Belgium — cross-sector network for inclusive employers
- DiversiteitsMakers — Flemish tool for HR professionals
Combine with other pillars
- VDAB/Actiris work & employment deepdive — employee perspective
- Financial support — VAPH/AVIQ assistive devices
- European Accessibility Act 1 year — digital accessibility of the workplace
- Accessible apps and digital tools — assistive tech workplace
- Blue badge in practice — accessible parking at the workplace
In conclusion
An inclusive employer strategy in Belgium combines legal obligation + substantial subsidies + business case (talent + reputation). The VDAB VOP in Flanders (20-60% wage cost compensated) is one of the most generous arrangements in Europe — often underused.
Our recommendation for employers who want to start: plan a self-audit + contact your VDAB/AVIQ/Actiris consultant for employers. From there you can incrementally make your organisation inclusive — and at the same time substantially expand your talent pool.
Are you an employer with a strong inclusion practice we can share here? Let us know — best-practice examples help other Belgian employers to take the step.