Newsletter - December 2024

From 1 January 2025, the purchase price of a service voucher will change and in 2 ways:

• Purchase price increased from 9&euros; to 10&euros;
• Cancellation of tax benefit: 1.8€ per cheque

Why this decision by the Flemish government:

• The price of a service cheque has been 9€ since 2014 and has never been indexed all these years. 
• Life has become much more expensive in 10 years. If the index were applied, a service cheque should cost 12€ anno 2024.

What will happen to these extra pennies?

• The fiscal advantage: the cents freed up by the abolition will go to the Flemish Government to get their Budget in order (Welfare, education, traffic,… ).
• The price increase from 9€ to 10€: the spending of this 1€ is currently part of consultations between trade unions and employer umbrella organisations.
• DCO Beerse vzw: we are awaiting the social consultation between trade unions and employer umbrella organisations. As soon as a social agreement is made, we will translate it into workable agreements within our company and in consultation with the trade unions.

For anything that deviates from your regular schedule, it should be noted in the deviation register.

The following changes should always be reported to the office, you need our approval:

• Sporadic overtime performance
• Shifting a work block to another day
• Starting work earlier / starting later

There is still some ambiguity around overtime. Additional hours may still be performed sporadically.

When they recur on a regular basis, however, they are viewed as structural and are not allowed.

It is important to note that this will be looked at separately for each employee by the office.

This is why we ask that you always contact the office when you want to perform extra hours, so we can look at your schedule.

If there is a regularity in the additional hours already performed over the past few months, we may not be able to allow them anymore.

If you still have statutory holidays/hours of holiday outstanding then it is important to take them before 1 January 2025.
Please also communicate this to the office and client in good time so that everything is clearly communicated.

• The Flemish government has decided to stop using paper service cheques from 1 June 2025.
• Pluxee, the issuing company, will inform customers of this decision. If you have customers with paper service cheques, it always makes sense to tell them the same.
• What advantages does this have for employees:
  • Faster entry of services after validation of the parties involved.
  • The cheques cannot be lost.
  • The cheques cannot be stolen.
  • Less administration.
• Important: paper service cheques should never be dialled in!

We are always looking for new employees, and what better advertisement than for our employees to bring in new colleagues.

Currently the recruitment campaign Together Strong! If you bring in a new colleague there will be a financial reward in return!

For more information, please contact the office.

• The office is closed on Christmas (25 December) and New Year (1 January): these are legal holidays in Belgium and no work is done in the company on these days.
• The other days the office is open every day in the morning from 8 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

Follow DCO Beerse vzw closely on Instagram and Facebook!