This biannual learning unit is not being organized in 2025-2026 !
This learning unit is not open to incoming exchange students!
Teacher(s)
Language
French
Main themes
The course on “social security law and special issues in social law” focuses specifically on social security and examines special issues in social law. These “special issues” are closely linked to current developments in social law and therefore vary from year to year.
Beyond the learning outcomes (see above), the course objectives are essentially to provide a thorough understanding of the originality and specificity of social security law and to adequately grasp the interactions between social security law, other branches of law and the economic, social and human issues, etc. of the labour market as a whole.
To this end, it is essential that students master the fundamental concepts of social security law, possibly in conjunction with labour law, and are familiar with the applicable legal and regulatory framework, in particular the administrative and financial organisation of social security, the different professional categories and their specific characteristics, the division of powers between entities (federal and federated) and the main legal standards governing individual employment relationships.
In addition to providing this basic legal knowledge, the course also aims to develop students' ability to apply the relevant legal framework and apply the theoretical knowledge they have acquired to practical situations and more complex issues. To achieve this, students must have a reflective and nuanced understanding of the subject matter, be able to easily identify legal issues (particularly in social law), formulate them correctly and respond to them.
Finally, the course aims to develop students' critical and constructive thinking skills.
Beyond the learning outcomes (see above), the course objectives are essentially to provide a thorough understanding of the originality and specificity of social security law and to adequately grasp the interactions between social security law, other branches of law and the economic, social and human issues, etc. of the labour market as a whole.
To this end, it is essential that students master the fundamental concepts of social security law, possibly in conjunction with labour law, and are familiar with the applicable legal and regulatory framework, in particular the administrative and financial organisation of social security, the different professional categories and their specific characteristics, the division of powers between entities (federal and federated) and the main legal standards governing individual employment relationships.
In addition to providing this basic legal knowledge, the course also aims to develop students' ability to apply the relevant legal framework and apply the theoretical knowledge they have acquired to practical situations and more complex issues. To achieve this, students must have a reflective and nuanced understanding of the subject matter, be able to easily identify legal issues (particularly in social law), formulate them correctly and respond to them.
Finally, the course aims to develop students' critical and constructive thinking skills.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to : | |
| 1 | The course on social security law and special issues in social law focuses specifically on the social security aspects of social law. The examination of “special issues in social law” enables students to link what they have learnt in the social law course (baccalaureate programme) with social security law. The aim is that, by the end of the course, students will be able to address any social law issue in the broadest sense (labour law and social security law) in an integrated manner. By the end of the course, students will be able to: ‒ Master the most important legal rules and principles of social security law; ‒ Precisely define the basic concepts of social security law; ‒ Use and apply these concepts, legal rules and principles appropriately to specific cases (casus) similar to those likely to be encountered in the professional world; ‒ Distinguish between the essential and the incidental in the subject matter studied; ‒ Master the administrative and financial organisation of social security; ‒ Master the distribution of competences in social matters and know which institutions and services are competent; ‒ Apply the relevant legislation to each professional category and provide adequate justification for this choice; ‒ Make the necessary connections between social security law, labour law and other branches of law such as administrative law, constitutional law, contract law, judicial law, etc. This naturally requires a sufficient command of these subjects; ‒ Resolve specific cases (casus) that reflect the reality of professional life and therefore combine different themes and different legal standards, which may come from different branches of law; ‒ Develop and formulate a personal opinion, a critical point of view on all social law issues, in a structured, reasoned and justified manner; ‒ Write with correct spelling, following the rules of grammar, syntax and conjugation of the English language; ‒ Use social law correctly, even when faced with a new problem, in order to analyse and resolve any social security law issues; ‒ Develop, in a group or individually depending on the exercise, the ability to question the legal framework, master it, use the tools and adopt a critical and nuanced approach to the questions asked or raised by the student themselves; ‒ Understand the issues involved in any social question, without limiting oneself to legal issues alone. |
Content
The course on ‘social security law and special issues in social law’ deals with social security law and aspects of social security law related to labour law.
It covers:
‒ The relationship between social security law and labour law;
‒ The differences between professional categories (employees, civil servants, self-employed persons);
‒ The history of social security law;
‒ Social protection for workers (regardless of their professional category) and citizens in general;
‒ The administrative organisation and financing of social security (including the distribution of powers);
‒ Access to social security rights;
‒ Social security benefits.
It covers:
‒ The relationship between social security law and labour law;
‒ The differences between professional categories (employees, civil servants, self-employed persons);
‒ The history of social security law;
‒ Social protection for workers (regardless of their professional category) and citizens in general;
‒ The administrative organisation and financing of social security (including the distribution of powers);
‒ Access to social security rights;
‒ Social security benefits.
Teaching methods
The course on “social security law and special issues in social law” is generally structured around four-hour blocks of lessons.
The teaching method is essentially interactive and participatory. It is based on lectures, practical exercises (individual or in groups) during classes, discussions with students, analysis of current events, question and answer sessions, and independent learning at home (AAD).
Lectures are kept to a minimum.
Independent learning at home (ILH) is based on documents and materials that are provided to students in a timely manner via the UCLouvain portal (ILH folder). The material covered in ILH will not be presented in class. Students are required to acquire this knowledge on their own and may be tested on it in the exam.
In order to demonstrate the importance of social security law and make the subject as lively as possible, the lecture is closely linked to current events and developments (social changes, new reforms, issues, social benefit statistics, social debates, etc.). It is therefore more than likely that some of the topics covered in the course will not appear in the reference materials cited.
Complex issues are examined (individually or in groups) during the lectures to enable students to make the link between theory and practice and to encourage interactivity during the lectures.
Students are asked to post their questions on the forum accessible on the UCLouvain portal so that all course participants can benefit from the questions and answers. Responses between students are encouraged; the professor ensures the quality of the responses available on the forum. It is therefore the ideal platform for asking a question and obtaining a high-quality response.
Towards the end of the course, a specific question-and-answer session is also organised. Students' questions must be posted on the forum in advance (before the deadline).
The teaching method is essentially interactive and participatory. It is based on lectures, practical exercises (individual or in groups) during classes, discussions with students, analysis of current events, question and answer sessions, and independent learning at home (AAD).
Lectures are kept to a minimum.
Independent learning at home (ILH) is based on documents and materials that are provided to students in a timely manner via the UCLouvain portal (ILH folder). The material covered in ILH will not be presented in class. Students are required to acquire this knowledge on their own and may be tested on it in the exam.
In order to demonstrate the importance of social security law and make the subject as lively as possible, the lecture is closely linked to current events and developments (social changes, new reforms, issues, social benefit statistics, social debates, etc.). It is therefore more than likely that some of the topics covered in the course will not appear in the reference materials cited.
Complex issues are examined (individually or in groups) during the lectures to enable students to make the link between theory and practice and to encourage interactivity during the lectures.
Students are asked to post their questions on the forum accessible on the UCLouvain portal so that all course participants can benefit from the questions and answers. Responses between students are encouraged; the professor ensures the quality of the responses available on the forum. It is therefore the ideal platform for asking a question and obtaining a high-quality response.
Towards the end of the course, a specific question-and-answer session is also organised. Students' questions must be posted on the forum in advance (before the deadline).
Evaluation methods
Assessment is carried out through an oral examination.
Other information
Assessment objectives
The examinations aim to validate that the student has achieved the course objectives and has acquired the required learning outcomes (see above).
Authorised materials for the examination
In principle, only the social law code and the baccalaureate code are authorised for the examination, possibly supplemented by the texts listed in the legislation section, “texts authorised for the examination”, on the UCLouvain portal.
‒ In accordance with the guidelines issued by the academic secretary, only references “by number” are permitted in the codes.
References by number must, of course, appear next to the relevant articles and not arbitrarily on any page of the code!
Any non-compliant reference will be considered cheating.
‒ Post-it notes may only be used as “bookmarks” to indicate the relevant page(s). Collections of post-it notes filled with numbers and other digits, letters or words are strictly prohibited, as are post-it notes in the shape of arrows or any other drawings.
Any non-compliant use of post-it notes will be considered fraud.
‒ The indexed amounts in force may be noted by the student in their social law code in place of/next to those included in the legal texts.
The examinations aim to validate that the student has achieved the course objectives and has acquired the required learning outcomes (see above).
Authorised materials for the examination
In principle, only the social law code and the baccalaureate code are authorised for the examination, possibly supplemented by the texts listed in the legislation section, “texts authorised for the examination”, on the UCLouvain portal.
‒ In accordance with the guidelines issued by the academic secretary, only references “by number” are permitted in the codes.
References by number must, of course, appear next to the relevant articles and not arbitrarily on any page of the code!
Any non-compliant reference will be considered cheating.
‒ Post-it notes may only be used as “bookmarks” to indicate the relevant page(s). Collections of post-it notes filled with numbers and other digits, letters or words are strictly prohibited, as are post-it notes in the shape of arrows or any other drawings.
Any non-compliant use of post-it notes will be considered fraud.
‒ The indexed amounts in force may be noted by the student in their social law code in place of/next to those included in the legal texts.
Online resources
Sources, references and additional materials
Recommended reading is indicated or posted online on the UCLouvain portal.
In addition, regular monitoring of social issues is strongly recommended in order to make the connection between the theory covered in class and the practice of social law.
Essential materials
‒ Each student's personal lecture notes (each student is naturally responsible for ensuring that their own lecture notes are complete and of high quality);
‒ Social law code (La Charte CLC4 social law code, 2026-2027 edition);
‒ Case law decisions published on the UCLouvain portal;
‒ Materials used during the oral course (available on the UCLouvain portal).
Optional useful materials
‒ Information available at www.socialsecurity.be (website of the Federal Public Service Social Security);
‒ Information available on the websites of the various public social security institutions (Famifed, Inami, Federal Pensions Service, Onem, Fedris, ONSS, Inasti, ONVA, etc.).
Recommended reading is indicated or posted online on the UCLouvain portal.
In addition, regular monitoring of social issues is strongly recommended in order to make the connection between the theory covered in class and the practice of social law.
Essential materials
‒ Each student's personal lecture notes (each student is naturally responsible for ensuring that their own lecture notes are complete and of high quality);
‒ Social law code (La Charte CLC4 social law code, 2026-2027 edition);
‒ Case law decisions published on the UCLouvain portal;
‒ Materials used during the oral course (available on the UCLouvain portal).
Optional useful materials
‒ Information available at www.socialsecurity.be (website of the Federal Public Service Social Security);
‒ Information available on the websites of the various public social security institutions (Famifed, Inami, Federal Pensions Service, Onem, Fedris, ONSS, Inasti, ONVA, etc.).
Faculty or entity
