Starting up and managing a service voucher company

In principle, any company can become a service voucher company provided that it obtains recognition. Commercial enterprises as well as non-profit organisations and public social welfare centres can apply for recognition. Your company can either carry out activities exclusively with service vouchers or in addition to other activities.

In order to become a recognised company, you must meet a number of conditions. For example, you must take part in an information session, pay a deposit of EUR 25,000 and add an accurate business plan in accordance with the regulations on service vouchers. General conditions also apply.

After obtaining recognition, you have to recruit employees who want to work as service voucher employees. They may also be foreign workers, provided they have a valid work permit. These employees must also meet certain conditions. Certain categories of employees may not be recruited through a service voucher employment contract. In addition, they may only perform a specific number of defined tasks.

You apply for recognition in the Region where you wish to carry out service voucher activities. If, as a company, you want to apply for recognition for the Flemish Region, you should take the following steps

• Attend the information session
• Pay the deposit
• Draw up the business plan
• Submit the recognition form

Approving services performed and paying service voucher employees

Service voucher employees input the services they performed. The company and the customer validate the services performed so that the employees can be paid. The customer can opt for electronic or paper service vouchers. Electronic service vouchers clearly have advantages for both customers and your company.

Approving services performed and paying service voucher employees - a roadmap

Wages and insurances of employees

How are the wages of your service voucher employees determined and to which insurances are they entitled? The wages depend on the type of company you have. You are obliged to take out industrial injuries insurance. More about wages and insurances of service voucher employees.