Belgium has set a global precedent by becoming the first country to allow sex workers to sign formal employment contracts, granting them access to labor protections such as sick leave, maternity benefits, and pensions.
The new law, which took effect on Sunday after being passed in May, also ensures fundamental rights for sex workers, including the ability to refuse clients, set conditions for services, and halt acts at any time.
Previously, Belgian laws criminalized brothels and third parties involved in sex work, labeling them as “pimping.” In 2022, the government decriminalized sex work and narrowed the definition of pimping to allow sex workers to access services like banking and insurance without fear of legal repercussions.
This new law builds on those reforms by offering sex workers protections equivalent to other professions, such as unemployment benefits, health insurance, and annual leave.
Employers are now mandated to meet strict requirements, including maintaining clean and safe premises, equipping spaces with panic buttons, and respecting workers’ right to refuse clients or specific acts. However, these protections only apply to sex workers with employment contracts, excluding independent workers and those in pornography or striptease.
The reforms, championed by the Belgian union of sex workers (UTSOPI), aim to eliminate legal discrimination and improve working conditions for sex workers.
UTSOPI highlighted that, before these changes, workers often felt compelled to work during pregnancy or beyond retirement age.
Globally, only a few regions, like New Zealand and parts of the Netherlands and Australia, have decriminalized sex work.
However, Belgium is unique in offering such extensive labor protections, setting a new benchmark in the treatment of sex workers.
