Retrieved from Monday 17 March welcomed HeadFirst Group welcomed VVD Member of Parliament Thierry Aartsen for a working visit. As spokesman within the VVD, Thierry Aartsen is responsible for the labor market and the self-employed dossier. During the working visit was developments on the labour market, the Belgian laws and regulations concerning hiring self-employed people and the challenges we face as HR service providers.service provider experience.

Firmly bitten into the file labor market and self-employment

Thierry Aartsen has in recent been firmly entrenched in the labor market and the self-employed. As a member of parliament, he is working hard for independent entrepreneurs, combating regulatory pressure and the consequences of unclear laws and regulations. In previous debates on the lifting of the enforcement moratorium on January 1, 2025, he has among other things, advocated a "soft landing" and a realistic and workable approach, in which enforcement does not lead to curtailment and uncertainty for clients and self-employed entrepreneurs.

The role of an intermediary and valuable data

Marion van Happen, CEO of HeadFirst Group, gave Thierry Aartsen a brief organization about the company and the role and added value of an intermediary in the labor market. Marion took Thierry through the different types of services and the challenges facing the industry. Next, Ton Sluiter, Manager of Data at HeadFirst Group, gave an in-depth presentation on the data we collect and developments and trends in the labor market. In te presentation Ton highlighted how the demand for self-employment is developing and what skills and which skills and knowledge are in demand.

The ihiring process, practical challenges Belgium

After the presentations, we took to the shop floor together. Led by Sem Overduin of the public affairs team, Aartsen got a behind-the-scenes look at the recruitment and contract management departments. This gave him the opportunity to ask more questions about the hiring process and gain insight into the challenges our colleagues face. For example, it remains complex to assess labor relations holistically and ensure proper and clear assignment descriptions. Furthermore, we dwelled on the questions colleagues receive from clients and freelancers. This led to a constructive exchange of ideas and possible areas for improvement.

 

We also discussed at length laws and regulations in Belgium regarding the hiring of self-employed workers. The Belgian Labor Relations Act is an inspiration; in fact, a separate law regulates the assessment of the working relationship between contractor and client. The discussion underscored the need for a sound and future-proof policy that does justice to the interests and needs of both self-employed workers and principals.

Continued dialogue

Thierry Aartsen's working visit to HeadFirst Group was valuable and provided scope for depth in the developments in the labor market and the zzp dossier. We appreciate the useful discussions that took place and will continue to use our data and knowledge in the future to contribute to a good and substantive public-society debate.contribute to a good and substantive public-social debate on the future of the labor market.

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Questions about this? Please contact us.

Sem Overduin
Public Policy & Affairs Manager
Sem.Overduin@headfirst.nl

Oifik Youssefi
Public Affairs Officer
Oifik.Youssefi@headfirst.nl

Maaike van Driel
Head of Legal
Maaike.vanDriel@headfirst.group

Thomas ten Veldhuijs
Senior Legal Counsel
Thomas.tenVeldhuijs@headfirst.nl