Sex workers in Belgium now have maternity leave and sick pay in the world first for employment rights
Belgium Grants Sex Workers Employment Rights Under Landmark Law
Sex workers in Belgium now have access to formal employment contracts that include key benefits such as sick pay, maternity leave, and health insurance under a groundbreaking law that took effect on Sunday. Passed in May, the legislation provides sex workers with the same rights and protections as employees in other industries, marking a significant step toward equality and safety for those in the profession.
This is a world first, said Daan Bauwens, director of the Belgian Union of Sex Workers. It is the first comprehensive legislative framework granting sex workers equal rights with other employees.
The law guarantees every kind of social protection, including unemployment benefits and health insurance, according to Quentin Deltour of Espace P, a group advocating for sex workers’ rights. It also empowers sex workers to refuse clients, decline specific acts, or stop activities at any time.
Employers in the sex work industry are now required to obtain government licenses, ensuring they meet strict criteria such as a clean criminal record free of rape or human trafficking convictions. They must also provide workers with essential items like condoms, clean bed linens, and emergency alarm systems in rooms.
Previously, contracts between sex workers and employers were legally invalid because pimping was considered illegal. This rendered sex workers vulnerable, as their agreements held no legal weight.
The new law builds on Belgium’s decriminalization of sex work in 2022, which eliminated criminal penalties for buying or selling sex and removed restrictions on third parties, such as landlords or accountants, who provided services to sex workers. However, decriminalization fell short of offering social protections.
Decriminalization allowed sex workers to avoid prison, but that’s a low bar, said Erin Kilbride, a researcher at Human Rights Watch. This law is a world-first move toward ensuring sex workers have the same rights as all workers.
Despite its progress, the legislation excludes independent workers, those operating online, and individuals in the porn industry—a limitation advocates acknowledge as a significant gap.
This is a weakness, admitted Deltour. But it’s a first step. The door is open, and now we will fight for the rights of others.
Belgium’s pioneering legislation addresses long-standing challenges faced by sex workers, offering hope for broader protections in the future and setting an example for other nations worldwide.
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