Flemish Government Mandates Anti-Bias Tests in All Sectors

The Flemish government has announced the introduction of widespread practical tests (“praktijktesten”) across the entire Flemish labor market to combat discrimination in hiring, starting in December 2026. Minister of Equal Opportunities Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) will mandate these tests in all sectors, including seven that previously refused voluntary participation, using fictitious job applications on real vacancies to detect bias based on age and ethnic origin.

Background: A Long-Awaited Crackdown

The decision marks a significant escalation in Flanders’ fight against hiring discrimination. According to VRT NWS, research has consistently shown that age and migration background still influence hiring decisions, with older candidates and those with immigrant backgrounds receiving fewer interview invitations despite equivalent qualifications.

In February 2026, Minister of Work Zuhal Demir (N-VA) reached an agreement with 32 of 39 Flemish sectors to include practical tests in their sector covenants — the framework through which the government coordinates labor market policy with industry organizations. However, seven sectors opted out: office workers, food industry, transport and logistics, local governments, moving services, funeral services, and the metal and technology sector.

Gennez Steps In

Minister Gennez has now taken the initiative to close that gap. “It would be strange to check in some sectors and not in others,” Gennez told VRT NWS. “In every sector, people should be able to work based on their abilities.” For the seven holdout sectors, she will mandate testing through an academic research framework, bypassing the voluntary sector covenant system managed by her coalition colleague Demir.

This move reflects tensions within the Flemish coalition government. Gennez (Vooruit, social-democratic) is taking a more interventionist approach compared to Demir (N-VA, conservative-nationalist), who had previously favored voluntary sector agreements and was sharply critical of earlier practical tests conducted by the human rights organization Unia, calling them “knettergek” (crazy).

Methodology and Scope

The tests will use correspondence testing — sending fictitious but identical job applications that differ only in characteristics like name (suggesting ethnic origin) or age, then measuring disparities in invitation rates. Results will be reported at the sector level only, not per company. The government emphasizes it wants to “sensibiliseren, niet culpabiliseren” (raise awareness, not assign blame), with no sanctions planned. Instead, “targeted support actions” will be developed for sectors showing high discrimination rates. Results are expected in spring 2028.

Divided Reactions

The policy has drawn sharp divisions. Trade unions have welcomed the initiative. Miranda Ulens, General Secretary of the Flemish ABVV (socialist trade union), called it “a good initiative,” describing discrimination as “not an incident but a solid structural reality” that “often sits below the waterline, where you don’t immediately see it but you feel it.”

Employer organizations strongly oppose the measure. Voka, the Flemish Employers’ Network, argued that “a witch hunt against employers helps no one” and that awareness-raising and self-regulation are more effective. Voka also questioned whether Flanders has the legal competence to mandate these tests, arguing that parts of labor market policy fall under federal jurisdiction. Some within the government itself share this concern.

Analysis: What This Means

The policy represents a deliberate choice to prioritize evidence-gathering over enforcement. By reporting only at the sector level and avoiding sanctions, the government aims to build a factual foundation for future policy without alienating employers entirely. However, critics on the left argue this approach lacks teeth, while critics on the right view any mandatory testing as government overreach.

Researchers caution that practical tests have limitations. Delia Mensitieri (Lead Lab, ULB) and Maurits Vanackere (Federgon) warned in an opinion piece for De Tijd that “practical tests only measure what happens before the front door, but say nothing about what happens behind it,” noting that without accompanying cultural change in workplaces, a “revolving door effect” can emerge where diverse hiring doesn’t translate to retention.

What’s Next

The coming months will be critical. Legal challenges from employer organizations are possible, and the question of Flemish competence to mandate tests outside the sector covenant framework remains untested in court. With results not expected until spring 2028, the policy will also need to survive potential government changes. For now, Flanders is taking a significant step toward measuring — and ultimately addressing — the hidden biases that persist in its labor market.