Learning outcomes

The social law course focuses on labor law. By the end of the course, the student will have achieved the following objectives:

·       Explain the originality and specificity of social law by distinguishing it from other branches of law and by differentiating situations according to the legal, social, economic, and human issues inherent to professional realities in the field;

·       Develop a critical and nuanced approach to the concepts studied in labor law by making appropriate use of the applicable legal and regulatory framework and by taking into account social and legal developments;

·       Apply the legal framework and the general principles of labor law to practical situations;

·       Identify and formulate legal issues related to social law, based on practical situations or current events, and provide a well-argued response;

·       Read and analyze case law decisions related to the subject matter of the course, in French only, identifying and explaining the key elements while developing a critical perspective and establishing relevant connections with the theoretical notions studied.

Goals

The social law course focuses on labor law.

By the end of the course, the student should be able to:

‒ Take clear and comprehensive notes during oral presentations (lectures, tutorials, conferences, webinars, etc.) and use them effectively in order to master the subject matter;

‒ Solve practical cases, similar to those encountered in professional life, by making appropriate use of the studied concepts, rules, and principles;

‒ Explain and apply the most important rules and principles of labor law;

‒ Accurately define the basic concepts of labor law;

‒ Explain the organization of social relations;

‒ Correctly explain and apply the hierarchy of norms;

‒ Distinguish and accurately define the different professional categories and apply the relevant legislation to them;

‒ Explain and identify the legal issues surrounding individual employment relationships, taking into account the employment contract from its conclusion to its termination, and situating it within its specific legal context;

‒ Read and properly analyze case law decisions in French;

‒ Develop and formulate a personal opinion and a critical perspective on any issue of social law, in a structured, reasoned, and well-supported manner;

‒ Write with correct spelling, respecting the rules of grammar, syntax, and verb conjugation in the French language;

‒ Correctly use the Social Law Code and any other relevant legislative source, even when faced with a new problem, in order to analyze and resolve it;

‒ Develop a critical and nuanced mindset regarding the questions posed or raised by the student themselves, without necessarily limiting their analysis to purely legal issues.

Content

The social law course addresses labor law.

It covers:

  • Introductory remarks: definitions and interconnections of social law, professional categories (employees, civil servants, self-employed workers), history of social law, organization and structure of work in Belgium;
  • Collective labor law and collective labor relations: professional organizations, trade unions, National Labor Council, joint committees, works councils, collective labor agreements, etc.;
  • Individual labor law: content and conclusion of the employment contract, performance of the employment contract, employee’s private and family life, suspension of the employment contract, termination of the employment contract, prescription;
  • Social law and inclusion: key concepts, discrimination, general principles of social assistance, social security, and vulnerabilities.

Teaching methods

This is primarily a lecture-based course, supplemented by autonomous home study (AHS) for the class hours that cannot be delivered. The lectures are taught in French.

The practical sessions are also held in French, but students may be required to complete readings or activities in Dutch. Tutorial sessions are not mandatory for part-time students, but participation is strongly encouraged to help them acquire the expected skills.

Autonomous home study is based on materials and resources provided to students in due time via Webcampus (folder “AAD”). These contents are not covered in the lectures: students are expected to learn them independently and may be examined on them. AHS may consist of commented slides, learning modules, online exercises, readings, videos, etc.

In order to demonstrate the importance of social law and to make the subject as engaging as possible, lectures are closely linked to current events and developments (social changes, strikes, new reforms, social dialogue, relocation, social benefits statistics, societal debates, etc.). Moreover, like any field of law, social law evolves, and the course content is adapted accordingly.

The lectures are based on:

·       One or more reference publications or excerpts made available on Webcampus during the relevant lectures;

·       PowerPoint presentations, lecture notes, and other documents provided by the instructors to support both the lectures and autonomous home study;

·       A Social Law Code (La Charte CLC4 Social Law Code, 2025–2026 edition);

·       A 2025–2026 case law collection (available from January via Webcampus).

The foundation of the course lies in the lectures, and therefore in the student’s lecture notes. Students are encouraged to supplement their notes with content from the reference publications. In addition, when lectures are supported by PowerPoint presentations, these will be made available on Webcampus in PDF format no later than the end of the corresponding lecture. The purpose of the lectures is to present the subject, highlight and explain important points, offer different perspectives, and, where appropriate, link the material to some or all of the case law decisions included in the collection. It is essential that students base their study on notes from the current academic year, given the frequent changes in social legislation and the ongoing adjustments made by the instructor.

The use of the La Charte CLC4 Social Law Code is essential during lectures, exercises, and the exam.

A case law collection including various decisions, in both French and Dutch, is designed to illustrate and deepen understanding of the material. The decisions included in the collection form part of the exam content, although part-time students may be examined only on the French-language decisions. The use of the case law collection (either paper or electronic version) is mandatory. Furthermore, students will regularly be required to read and prepare decisions in advance of the lectures.

Students may post their questions on the Webcampus forum so that the entire class can benefit from the questions and answers. Peer-to-peer responses are encouraged, and the teaching team monitors the quality of the answers available on the forum. This is therefore the ideal platform to ask a question and obtain a reliable answer. For questions requiring a more detailed response or relating to personal circumstances, students are invited to schedule an appointment with the teaching team.

Toward the end of the course, a dedicated Q&A session will also be organized. Students must submit their questions in advance (before the specified deadline) through the channel indicated by the instructors.

Assessment method

Assessment Method

Students may choose between an oral exam or a written exam.

Objectives of the Assessment

Both oral and written exams are intended to verify that the student has achieved the course objectives and acquired the required learning outcomes (see above).

Assessment Methods

Whether oral or written, mastery of the course objectives and learning outcomes may be assessed in several ways:


  1. By comparing one concept with another (this is a general question aimed at evaluating whether the student has mastered the subject as a whole and is able to articulate the different notions in a relevant and reasoned manner, while respecting the requirements and rules of the French language);
  2. By commenting on a text (generally a case law decision in French, included in the 2024–2025 case law collection, available on Webcampus, or discussed during a tutorial) or on a quotation;
  3. By solving practical cases (practical exercises similar to those covered in tutorials but combining various legal issues, reflecting professional realities);
  4. Through multiple-choice questions, with or without justification of the chosen answer;
  5. Through multiple-response questions, with or without justification of the chosen answer;
  6. Through open-ended questions;
  7. Through closed-ended questions.

The questionnaires are designed to cover the entire syllabus. A breakdown of marks will be communicated to students. However, the final grade is not purely arithmetic: it depends on the professor’s overall assessment of the exam paper or oral performance (serious mistakes, omission of key topics, etc.).

Organization of the Assessment

The exam is held in person and is closed-book, both oral and written. The written exam lasts three hours.

All practical details (day, date, time, location, etc.) relating to the assessment and its modalities will be communicated to students in due time.

Authorized Materials for the Exam

Only the Social Law Code and the Bac Code are permitted, possibly supplemented by the texts listed in the “Authorized Texts for the Exam” section on Webcampus.


  • In accordance with the instructions issued by the Academic Secretary, only “numeric cross-references” are allowed in the codes. These references must of course appear next to the relevant articles, and not arbitrarily elsewhere in the code. Any non-compliant reference will be considered fraud.
  • Post-its may only be used as bookmarks to indicate the relevant pages. Collections of post-its filled with numbers, letters, words, or symbols are strictly forbidden, as are arrow-shaped post-its or any other drawings. Any non-compliant use of post-its will be considered fraud.
  • The indexed amounts in force may be handwritten by the student in the Social Law Code, in place of or next to those printed in the legal texts.

In addition, both written and oral exams are subject to the Faculty of Law’s examination regulations. The use of any connected device (smartphones, watches, tablets, etc.), even switched off and stored in a pocket, as well as noise-canceling headphones, earphones, or similar devices, is strictly prohibited.

Sources, references and any support material

Recommended Readings

Recommended readings are indicated or uploaded on Webcampus.

In addition, regular monitoring of current social affairs is strongly encouraged in order to connect the theory studied in class with the practice of social law.

Essential Materials

·       Each student’s personal lecture notes (it is the responsibility of each student to ensure the completeness and quality of their own notes – see “Teaching Method” above);

·       Social Law Code (La Charte CLC4 Social Law Code, 2025–2026 edition);

·       Case Law Collection 2025–2026.

Language of instruction

French