2022 social security contributions: financing of Asbestos Fund widened

SD Worx Knowledge Centre

Source

Royal Decree of 15 December 2021 determining the number of quarters for which the employer's contribution is payable for the financing of the Asbestos Fund for 2022, Belgian Official Journal of 22 December 2021, p. 121845.

The employer pays a contribution (0.01%) to the Asbestos Fund for the first, second and third quarters of 2022.

Since the reform of the financing structure from 2017, the employer only paid this contribution during the first two quarters of the calendar year.

This year it is the first time that a broader collection must take place.

As a reminder: financing of the Asbestos Fund

The Asbestos Fund (in full, the Indemnification Fund for Asbestos Victims) was established under the Fund for Occupational Diseases at the end of 2006.

Under certain conditions, the Asbestos Fund grants compensation to asbestos victims. This concerns both employees and the self-employed. The fund also finances prevention projects and academic research relating to asbestos issues.

The financing structure of the Asbestos Fund has been reformed since 2017.

The Asbestos Fund's income mainly consists of:

• the yield of a specific employer's contribution (0.01%); • an annual amount from the Federal State; • financing via the social status of the self-employed.

The employer's contribution is payable for:

• employees subject in whole or in part to the Social Security Act of 27 June 1969; • merchant seamen; and • working students (with solidarity contributions).

The employer's contribution is 0.01% and is calculated on the salaries subject to social security contributions. The NSSO collects the contribution.

For the years 2017 to 2019, the NSSO only collected the contribution for two quarters: the first and second quarters of each year.

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Reforms

From 2020, the number of quarters for which the contribution is due can be defined annually. The Management Committee for Occupational Diseases is drawing up a proposal for this based on the budget forecasts.

This is done by royal decree in December of the previous year at the latest.

In the absence of a decree, the contribution is payable for the first and second quarters.

For the years 2020 and 2021, this decree did not take place and the contribution was only due for the first and second quarters.

For 2022, a decree imposes the collection for the first three quarters.

SD Worx Social/Legal News March 2022 Page 35