| Academic year: | 2007-2008 |
| Course code module | 3BSOC-050 |
| Semester: | 1st semester |
| Credits: | 6 |
| Study load (hours) | 168 |
| Theory (hours): | 45,00 |
| Practice/Exercises(hours): | |
| Other (hours): | |
| Part-time program: | 1 |
| Instructor(s) | Ria Janvier
|
| Language of instruction: | Dutch |
| Semester exam information: | semester exam in January |
| Contract restriction information: | |
1. Prerequisites
*Algemene competenties
Students should have a basic knowledge of law, as well as some insight into the challenges which our society faces, particularly in the field of social policy. Any student who has passed the courses in the first Bachelor programme envisaging the acquisition of these competencies is assumed to have the prerequisites for the Social Law course.
*Sequentiality
Given the aforementioned prerequisites, Students taking this course should have completed (obtained credits for):
Society, Facts and Problems (1Ba);
Introduction to Law / Public Institutions (1Ba).
2. Objectives (expected learning outcomes)
Towards the end of these courses and the (interactive) processing of the subject matter, the students should have a fairly in-depth knowledge of the rules of social security law as well as insight into the so-called ratio legis, i.e. the underlying reasoning of the lawmaker. The students should be able to apply these rules of law – either with or without the aid of source materials compiled in the social security law codex – to concrete cases. They should also be able to recognise and explain differences and similarities between the various sectors of social security.
Additionally, students should have acquired some knowledge of individual and collective labour law. They should, within a limited timeframe and making use of a textbook, be able to formulate answers to relatively simple questions.
3. Course content
Social law covers two branches of law: social security law and labour law. The two are interconnected, but their finality differs, and so too do their juridical characteristics.
First and foremost, the course considers the field of application, the funding and the administrative structures of the social security system in historical perspective. The main focus is on supplementary benefits – i.e. healthcare and family allowances – and on replacement incomes in the case of sickness or incapacity (common law versus industrial accidents and occupational illnesses), unemployment and retirement or survivor pensions. In addition, the course deals briefly with guaranteed schemes
.
It considers the social security regime for employees and compares it with those for the self-employed and civil servants.
As far as labour law is concerned, we outline the general rules for recruitment, employment and dismissal. We conclude with a session on how collective bargaining proceeds in
Belgium
.
4. Teaching method
Direct contact: Lectures
Personal work: Assignments - individualSupervised self-study
5. Assessment method
Exam: Written, without oral presentationOral, with written preparationClosed bookOpen bookMultiple choiceOpen questions
Continuous assessment: Assignments
6. Compulsory reading – study material
Social security law
Annual (daily) updated course book, available via Blackboard only
Handouts during presentations, to be downloaded from Blackboard
Open learning packages on family allowances and healthcare in
Belgium
, also provided via Blackboard
Labour law
HUMBLET, P., RIGAUX, M. (eds.), JANVIER, R. en RAUWS, W., Synopsis van het Belgisch arbeidsrecht, Antwerpen, Intersentia, 2006, 426 p.
7. Recommended reading - study material
During the oral exam on social security law, the student may use SIMOENS, D., VAN EECKHOUTTE, W. and VAN STEENBERGE, J., Codex Sociale Zekerheid 2006, Brugge, die keure, 2006, 1.406 p. (cf. supra, evaluation system).
Other recommended study material for better insight into social security:
PUT, J., Praktijkboek Sociale Zekerheid, uitgave 2006, Mechelen, Kluwer, 1.032 p.
VAN LANGENDONCK, J. en PUT, J., Handboek socialezekerheidsrecht, Antwerpen, Intersentia, 2006, 920 p.
8. Tutoring