Unemployment benefits: how is the reference daily wage calculated?
Verified 01 October 2021 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)
The daily reference salary (RLS) is used to calculate your unemployment benefits. It is based on your earnings over a period and the number of days during that period. The conditions are not the same depending on the date of calculation of the SJR, from 1to October 2021 or earlier.
From 1 October 2021
The conditions for calculating the SJR are not the same depending on your age (under 53 or 53 and over).
The reference daily wage (RLS) is determined in 2 steps.
The total gross remuneration received during the 2 years before the end of your last employment contract is taken into account.
This amount is divided by the number of calendar days (days worked + days not worked) between 1to day of the first contract and the last day of the last contract of that period.
Example :
You received a gross total of €48,000. This sum is divided by 731 calendar days. Your reference salary is: 48,000 / 731 = €65.66.
For each month, the relevant remuneration may not exceed €13,712.
Compensation Type | Taking into account |
|---|---|
131 month | Only for the part concerning the 121 month |
Balance sheet premiums | Only for the part concerning the 121 month |
Perceived Gratifications | Only for the part concerning the 121 month |
Refunds for professional expenses | No |
Severance or Severance Benefits | No |
Conventional Break Allowances | No |
Allowances for paid leave | No |
End-of-Mission Allowance (Precarious Pay) | No |
Advance or non-compete allowances | No |
Social Security Daily Allowances | No |
The reference daily wage (RLS) is determined in 2 steps.
The total gross remuneration received during the 3 years before the end of your last employment contract is taken into account.
This amount is divided by the number of calendar days (days worked + days not worked) between 1to day of the first contract and the last day of the last contract of that period.
Example :
You received a gross total of €60,000. This amount is divided by 1,096 calendar days. Your reference salary is: 60,000 / 1,096 = €54.74.
For each month, the relevant remuneration may not exceed €13,712.
Compensation Type | Taking into account |
|---|---|
131 month | Only for the part concerning the 121 month |
Balance sheet premiums | Only for the part concerning the 121 month |
Perceived Gratifications | Only for the part concerning the 121 month |
Refunds for professional expenses | No |
Severance or Severance Benefits | No |
Conventional Break Allowances | No |
Allowances for paid leave | No |
End-of-Mission Allowance (Precarious Pay) | No |
Advance or non-compete allowances | No |
Social Security Daily Allowances | No |
Before 1 October 2021
The reference daily wage (RJS), which is used to calculate your unemployment benefits, is determined on the basis of a reference annual salary.
The SJR is equal to annual reference salary (SAR) divided by the number of days worked during the calculation reference period (PRC).
This period consists of the 12 calendar months preceding the last day of work paid.
It shall be calculated on the basis of gross remuneration and on the basis of 1 day worked = 1 day compensated.
The maximum number of days worked during the reference period is 261 days.
The calculation of the SJR is as follows: SJR = reference salary / (number of days worked x 1.4).
Example :
If you worked on the 1to January 2020 to December 31, 2020, i.e. 261 days, and €25,000 gross salary, your reference daily salary is: 25,000 / (261 x 1.4) = €68.42.
For each month, the relevant remuneration may not exceed €13,712.
Compensation Type | Taking into account |
|---|---|
131 month | Only for the part concerning the 121 month |
Balance sheet premiums | Only for the part concerning the 121 month |
Perceived Gratifications | Only for the part concerning the 121 month |
Refunds for professional expenses | No |
Severance or Severance Benefits | No |
Conventional Break Allowances | No |
Allowances for paid leave | No |
End-of-Mission Allowance (Precarious Pay) | No |
Advance or non-compete allowances | No |
Social Security Daily Allowances | No |
- Order of 25 June 2014 approving the Convention of 14 May 2014 on unemployment compensation and related textsArticle 13 of the annexed General Regulation
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