Illness and burnout

Should you become ill and be unable to work, a variety of problems and obligations arise, both for you as an employee and for your employer.

From the first day of sickness, it is very important that you and your employer strictly follow the applicable regulations. If either of you do not follow these procedures, you could be fined.

Assessment of illness and burnout

In general, if you are sick for longer than 1 week, then the company doctor (“bedrijfarts”) will be called upon. It is this company doctor alone, not the employer’s doctor nor your own personal doctor, who will assess whether you are unable to work due to sickness.

Reintegration

If your sickness persists, then you and your employer must draw up a plan of action to reintegrate you in your job. Getting you back to work is the joint goal of both you and your employer.

Are you not able to carry out your own work, but you are able to carry out other work? Then both parties must accept that you will be offered “suitable work” by the employer. You may be reintegrated in the employer’s company itself or outside it.

Salary

If you are not able to carry out the work that has been negotiated as a result of your sickness, your employer is obliged to continue to pay you 77% of your salary during the first 104 weeks of sickness.

Termination and dismissal

Your employer may not terminate your employment or dismiss you via UVW procedure during this period (the first 104 weeks of sickness).

If you are still not able to resume your former job after 104 weeks of sickness, then your employer’s obligation to continue to pay your salary comes to an end. In that case, the employer can ask the UWV for permission to terminate your employment agreement.

Get help you can trust

GMW lawyers has a team of experts in employment law who can advise you about your rights, obligations, and the applicable processes to follow.

If you need help with issues regarding illness and burnout, please contact us for further information.

 

More employment law related topics >

Lawyers

Previous slide
Next slide
Amber Willemsen

Amber Willemsen

Employment law Read more about this lawyer
Godelijn Boonman

Godelijn Boonman

Employment law Read more about this lawyer
Koen Vermeulen

Koen Vermeulen

Employment law, Pension law Read more about this lawyer
Hans van Meerten

Prof. Hans van Meerten

Pension law Read more about this lawyer
Roos van Zaltbommel

Roos van Zaltbommel

Employment law Read more about this lawyer
Seliz Demirci

Seliz Demirci

Employment law Read more about this lawyer
All lawyers

Looking for an employment law lawyer in The Hague?

GMW lawyers will be happy to help you with all your employment law issues. Our lawyers assist both employers and employees.

Do you have a question? Please feel free to contact us.

"*" indicates required fields

newsletter?

You might also like

15 January 2025

Request for Permanent Employment

Since August 1, 2022, employers in the Netherlands must comply with the Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Act.

Read more

Read more about

23 December 2024

Is your company ready for a four-day work week?

With effect from 1 January 2025, AFAS will introduce a four-day working week for all its employees, who will retain their current five-day salary. Employees already working less than five days will be compensated.

Read more

Read more about

18 December 2024

Three-strikes-and-you’re-out policy

In staff manuals I regularly come across the rule that a third warning automatically leads to dismissal with immediate effect. In baseball terminology, this is called a ‘three-strikes-and-you’re-out’ policy. An employer from Eindhoven also called this an ‘oei-foei-doei’ policy.

Read more

Read more about

16 December 2024

Investigations into undesirable behaviour in the workplace

Physical attacks, (sexual)harassment, verbal abuse, but also inappropriate comments – these are all forms of undesirable behaviour in the workplace.

Read more

Read more about

11 December 2024

Working from home not an entitlement for the time being

The corona crisis changed how organisations think about working from home. It even led to a legislative proposal; the Work Where You Want Act (wetsvoorstel ‘werken waar je wilt’) aimed at making it easier for employees and employers to reach agreements on hybrid working.

Read more

Read more about

9 December 2024

Employers’ liability for a burnout?

Small mistakes can have large consequences. The same applies at work: employers’ liability is easily on the cards. Excessive work pressure, inhalation of hazardous substances or physical overload.

Read more

Read more about

4 December 2024

Respecting Works Council’s Participation Rights

Works councils do not often litigate against their own management. Generally, the works council (WC) and the manager or entrepreneur prefer to resolve disputes through constructive dialogue.

Read more

Read more about

25 November 2024

Enforcing the establishment and recognition of a works council

Nearly one-third of companies with more than 50 employees do not have a works council (WC).

Read more

Read more about

14 November 2024

Variable compensation and salary continuation during illness

During the first two years of illness, an employee has the right to receive at least 70% of their salary.

Read more

Read more about