Direct naar inhoud

Providing a return-to-work recommendation as an employer in the public sector and education

As an employer in the public sector or education, you have a responsibility to help former employees return to work after they have become unemployed. This includes providing a return-to-work recommendation (‘re-integratie advies’) if a former employee asks to be released from their unemployment obligations. If your former employee is released from these obligations, this is referred to as an exemption (‘vrijstelling’).

When are you required to provide a recommendation?

Former employees, who are receiving an unemployment benefit and want to start either their own business or follow an educational programme, can submit a request to be exempted from the job search requirement (‘sollicitatieplicht’). In either of these situations, you will need to provide a recommendation stating whether you agree or disagree with their request. 

Your recommendation plays an important role in our decision-making process and will largely determine whether your former employee will be granted an exemption. 

Please note: If we determine the course or educational programme will not increase your employee’s chances of finding work, they will not be granted an exemption.

How to provide a recommendation

To provide a recommendation, complete the Former employer’s return-to-work recommendation form (‘Advies van ex-werkgever over re-integratie ex-werknemer’). You will need to log in to the employer portal with your EH3 level eHerkenning account to do this.

Documents you will need to submit along with the form

If your former employee is requesting an exemption in order to follow an educational programme, you will need to submit a completed copy of the Application form for permission to study (‘Aanvragen toestemming voor het volgen van een opleiding’). Your former employee is responsible for completing this form.

If your former employee is requesting an exemption because they will be starting their own business, make sure you submit the following documents:

  • a copy of your former employee’s business plan that you have reviewed
  • a document proving your former employee followed the training session ‘Zelfstandig ondernemen met een WW-uitkering' (‘Starting your own business with an unemployment benefit’)

What happens next?

After we receive the request for an exemption, we will review it to make sure all the necessary paperwork has been included. If anything is missing, we will contact either you or your former employee so that you can submit these items. 

Decision

We will evaluate your former employee’s request and send them a decision within 4 weeks of having received all the required documents. You will also receive a copy of this decision.