Occupational medicine for a private sector employee

Verified 11 August 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The employer must protect the health and safety of its employees. Depending on the size of the company, it must set up or join a prevention and occupational health service in the company, commonly referred to as “ occupational medicine ». We're taking a look at the regulations.

FYI  

The employee of the individual employer and the childminder benefit from medical follow-up subject to special rules.

The following employers must set up or join an occupational health and prevention service (OHTS):

  • Private companies
  • Industrial and Commercial Public Establishments (Epic)
  • Public administrative establishments (PPAs) employing private law staff.

The establishment of a TSPS within the company or the obligation to join a multi-employer TSPS varies depending on the company's workforce:

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Company with less than 500 employees

The employer adheres a prevention and occupational health service business-to-business.

Company of 500 or more employees

The employer chooses the form of the prevention and occupational health service. TSPS takes one of the following forms:

  • Prevention and occupational health service in the company
  • Intercompany prevention and occupational health service.

Employees hired with one of the following employment contracts are monitored by occupational medicine:

Special rules apply for employees holding identical jobs with different employers.

Please note

Young people doing traineeships in school and university education are not affected.

Contact details of occupational medicine must be displayed by the employer on the workplace.

Yes, the employee can contact directly occupational medicine. He is not obliged to ask his employer for the agreement. The employee cannot be sanctioned by his employer.

The occupational physician works in an occupational health and prevention service (SPST).

The tasks of prevention and occupational health services are carried out by a multidisciplinary team including occupational physicians, occupational risk prevention workers and nurses.

Prevention

The role of the occupational physician is mainly preventive.

The occupational physician conducts occupational health actions to preserve the health of workers throughout their professional career.

It monitors the health status of workers according to their age, risks to their safety, health and hardship at work.

It shall advise the employer, the workers and the staff representatives on the necessary measures concerning the following points:

Please note

The occupational physician does not provide care. It does not issue sick leave. He can issue a prescription for further medical examinations.

As part of his missions, the doctor writes a company sheet which is forwarded to the employer.

The occupational physician also draws up an annual report on his activity. This report shall be transmitted in particular to Social and Economic Committee (ESC) and the employer.

Actions and organization

The occupational physician has free access to the workplace.

He carries out visits on his own initiative, at the request of the employer or the Social and Economic Committee (CSE) or the employee.

The occupational doctor or nurse meets the employee several times during his professional career.

The types of visits differ whether the employee is an apprentice or not:

General case

There are several types of medical visits for employees:

Apprentice

There are several types of medical check-ups for apprentices:

  • Information and prevention visit carried out within a period not exceeding 2 months from the date of employment. Where the apprentice is a minor, or works at nightHowever, this visit must take place before he is hired.
  • Medical examination of aptitude, which is mandatory by the occupational physician if the apprentice is assigned to regulated work. This review must take place prior to hiring.
  • Visits of pre-recovery and resumption of work
  • Visits made at the request of the employer, worker or occupational physician.

Please note

At any time, a medical examination may be carried out by the occupational physician to verify the apprentice's fitness to practice the trade he is learning. This visit is at the initiative of the apprentice (or his legal representative), the employer or the director of the Apprenticeship Training Center (ATC).

The occupational physician may propose to the employer individual measures for the adjustment, adaptation or transformation of the workplace.

It may also propose measures for the organization of working time.

In the event of impossibility, and where the worker's state of health justifies a change of position, he may declare the worker unfit for his job. The notice of unfitness shall include information on the reclassification of the worker.

As part of the enhanced individual follow-up, the occupational physician may issue a notice of fitness or unfitness to the employee and the employer.

The occupational physician may propose, where necessary, adjustments to the position or assignment to other positions in the the employee in a state of pregnancy.

The time spent on medical visits and examinations, including further examinations, is:

  • Either taken on working hours. In this case, the employee is paid as if he had worked.
  • Be paid as actual working time when such examinations cannot be carried out during working hours.

The transport time and the costs incurred for these visits and examinations are covered by the employer.

If the employee or the employer wishes to contest opinions, proposals, written conclusions or indications based on medical elements, he must refer the matter to the labor court. This process must be completed within 15 days of their notification.

The labor court may consult the occupational health inspector.

The occupational physician is informed of the dispute and may be heard by the occupational physician-inspector.

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