Under the newly implemented labour law, Belgium officially acknowledges the first legal employer within the sex work industry.
In a groundbreaking move, Belgium has officially recognized its first legal sex-work employer under a pioneering 2024 law. This legislation, a first of its kind in the country, extends formal labour rights to sex workers, offering them full access to social security benefits such as pensions, unemployment benefits, health insurance, and paid leave. The recognition marks the establishment of Belgium’s first regulated brothel under this new framework [1][2][4].
The law, which came into effect in July 2025, integrates sex work into formal labour protections, affirming sex workers' rights as workers rather than subjecting them to moral judgment. It grants workers the right to refuse clients or sexual intercourse, underscoring a strong emphasis on workers' autonomy and consent [1][5].
However, the law is not without controversy. Nine civil society organisations filed a constitutional appeal against it in early 2025, reflecting ongoing societal debate [3]. Some feminist groups remain sceptical of any legal model that treats sex work as employment, arguing that all sex work is inherently exploitative.
Comparatively, the Netherlands and Germany have long legalized and regulated sex work, allowing sex workers to sign employment contracts and gain social security benefits. The Dutch approach has been in place since the early 2000s, while Germany's Prostitutes Protection Act (2017) requires the registration of sex workers and imposes strict obligations on employers [1][2].
New Zealand decriminalized sex work in 2003 with the Prostitution Reform Act, considering sex workers legitimate workers with rights to safe working environments and legal protections. The law emphasizes decriminalization rather than regulation but grants sex workers workplace rights similar to other professions [1].
Belgium’s new law is distinctive because it explicitly recognises sex clubs as formal employers with full labour rights under a modern labour code framework, potentially offering broader worker protections and benefits than existing models. Unlike the Netherlands and Germany, which have long-standing frameworks, Belgium’s approach represents a contemporary formalization aligned with global advances in recognizing sex workers' labour rights [1].
The law applies only to establishments that directly employ workers, not to businesses that merely rent rooms to independent sex workers. Employers must install safety alarms in all workspaces, appoint a named person to ensure safe working conditions, and confirm in writing to all their employees what their legal rights are [1].
Prospective operators faced practical and institutional resistance, not least from banks, insurance companies, and local authorities. The recognition of the Gembloux sex club can be seen as an important precedent [4].
The law offers sex workers four fundamental freedoms: the right to refuse a client, the right to refuse or interrupt a sexual act, the right to define the terms of any encounter, and the right to change those terms at any time [5]. Any situation of subordination in the workplace that does not fall within this specific legal framework will be de facto considered exploitation.
By May 2025, none of the initial applications for employer recognition had been approved [4]. Legal uncertainty remains, with the Belgian Constitutional Court expected to rule on the challenge by the end of 2026 [4].
This new law gives sex workers a new level of legal protection that was previously absent or ambiguous. Sex workers now have access to Belgium's social security system, providing them with much-needed security and stability [1]. The full social and legal impact of this landmark legislation is evolving amid ongoing constitutional challenges and societal debates.
[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53728600 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/01/belgium-recognises-its-first-legal-sex-work-employer [3] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/belgium-faces-constitutional-challenge-over-legal-sex-work-2025-03-01/ [4] https://www.dw.com/en/belgium-recognizes-its-first-legal-sex-work-employer/a-61189102 [5] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(25)00234-4/fulltext
- The new legislation in Belgium, effective from July 2025, has integrated sex work into formal work protections, acknowledging sex workers as employees entitled to labor rights, health and wellness benefits, and workplace-wellness protections.
- Controversy surrounding the innovative Belgian law led to nine civil society organizations filing a constitutional appeal in early 2025, reflecting ongoing discussions about the morality and exploitation associated with sex work.
- Comparable to the Netherlands and Germany, Belgium's law grants sex workers access to general news sources, providing information about policy-and-legislation updates and their impact on the industry.
- While various stakeholders, including banks, insurance companies, and local authorities, have demonstrated practical and institutional resistance to the recognition of sex work employers, the recently acknowledged Gembloux sex club signifies a significant turning point in the acceptance and progress of these rights.
