Your employee will be entitled to at most 6 weeks’ adoption or foster care pay. 

They must take this paid leave somewhere between 4 weeks before the child’s arrival and 22 weeks after. If your employee does not want to take their leave in one go, they can spread it out over these 26 weeks. However, they must discuss this with you first. You can only refuse such a request if you have serious business reasons for doing so.

Your employee will receive 100% of their full average daily income while they are on leave. 

Please note: Your employee’s adoption or foster care pay will not be more than the highest average daily income (‘maximumdagloon’). However, you may supplement this if you wish.

We will usually transfer the adoption or foster care pay directly to you. This payment will either be made in one go or split into 2 separate payments. In the meantime, you will continue paying your employee’s salary in the same way you always have.

If you and your employee want the adoption or foster care pay to be transferred to your employee, let us know in your application. If you do this, your employee will receive the payments on a weekly basis.

If your employee adopts or fosters 2 or more children at the same time, they will not receive a higher benefit or additional leave compared to adopting or fostering just 1 child.  

If your employee adopts or fosters a child now and another child later, they may also apply for adoption or foster care pay for the second child. However, approval is not guaranteed.

If your employee falls ill while they are on leave, their adoption or foster care pay will continue as planned. It cannot be put on hold or rescheduled for a later date.

You or your employee might experience a change in your circumstances while your employee is on leave. Report these changes to us by using the Change of circumstances form if your employee is receiving a sickness benefit or adoption or foster care pay (Doorgeven wijzigingen werknemers met Ziektewet- of WAZO-uitkering’).

All communication about the adoption or foster care pay will be sent to your employee. They will receive a decision about their adoption or foster care pay within the first 4 weeks of their leave. You will be sent a copy of the decision.