Abstract

Belgian law provides that replacement contracts that exceed two years become contracts of indefinite duration. The same rule applies for fixed-term contracts but not for the case where the employer alternates these two types of contracts. In the case at hand, the Belgian Constitutional Court considered Belgian law to be discriminatory on this point and invited the legislator to put an end to this difference of treatment. Awaiting this legislative change, labour courts and tribunals should consider alternation of fixed-term and replacement contracts for more than two years as a contract of indefinite duration.