“An unemployed person who starts working sees 91 percent of his additional gross wage disappear into the state coffers”: work expert wants to tackle unemployment trap | MyGuide

According to figures from the European Commission, the unemployment trap in Belgium is 91 percent. This means that an unemployed person who starts working will immediately see 91 percent of his additional gross wage disappear into the state coffers, due to taxes on labor and the loss of benefits and social benefits. In other words, working sometimes only yields 9 percent extra. “Not exactly encouraging,” says work expert Stijn Baert.