Overview

• Sex workers in Belgium can now sign formal employment contracts, giving them access to benefits like sick pay, maternity leave, pensions, and unemployment support.
• The law ensures sex workers have the right to refuse clients or specific sexual acts and to stop services at any time without retaliation.
• Employers must meet strict criteria, including background checks for criminal offenses, and are required to provide safe working environments with measures like emergency alarms and clean facilities.
• This legislation builds on Belgium's 2022 decriminalization of sex work, which eliminated criminal penalties but did not previously grant labor rights or social protections.
• Advocacy groups view the law as a major step forward but note its limitations, as it excludes self-employed sex workers and those working in certain sectors like pornography or online platforms.