Applying for permission to start a trial placement if you are receiving an unemployment benefit and worked in the public sector and education

A trial placement (‘proefplaatsing’) allows you to work for an employer on a trial basis for 2 months without pay, while keeping your benefit during this period. It is a way for you to see if a job is right for you and for an employer to see if you can perform the job well.

If you qualify, a trial placement gives you a chance to gain experience and prove yourself in your new role, while keeping your unemployment benefit during this period.

• You are currently receiving an unemployment benefit and it will be difficult for you to find work without a trial placement.
• You have not worked for this employer before.
• You have worked for this employer before, but in a different role.

Your employer must sign a statement of intent (‘intentieverklaring’) before your trial placement begins. This guarantees that you will be offered a contract for at least 6 months if the trial placement goes well. You will work the same number of hours as you did during your trial placement.

Please note: Your employer cannot include a probation period (‘proeftijd’) in your employment contract if you have already passed your trial placement.

Both you and the employer need to complete the form Applying for permission to start a trial placement if you are receiving an unemployment benefit and worked in the public sector and education ('Aanvragen toestemming proefplaatsing tijdens WW als u werkte bij de overheid of in het onderwijs’). You will need to log in to Mijn UWV using either your DigiD account or a valid European electronic ID (‘Europees erkend inlogmiddel’) to do this.

• Fill in the application form online.
• Download it as a pdf.
• E-mail the completed form to the employer.
• Make sure the employer fills in their part of the application form and signs and returns it to you by email.

To complete the process, you must upload the application form in the following manner:

• Log back into the online form.
• Click through to the question ‘Waarvoor wilt u dit formulier gebruiken?’ (What do you want to use this form for?)
• Choose ‘Ik wil alleen de ingevulde en ondertekende ‘Aanvraag toestemming proefplaatsing tijdens WW’ uploaden’ (I only want to upload the completed and signed form ‘Applying for permission to start a trial placement if you are receiving an unemployment benefit and worked in the public sector and education’)
• Upload your application form as a pdf.

Please note: If your employer thinks a longer trial placement is necessary, they will need to seek our permission for this on the application form. Your employer must provide good reasons as to why they need more time to evaluate whether you are right for the job.

We will let you know whether you qualify for a trial placement within 2 weeks of you sending us your application. This could take longer if we need more information from you.

Please note: You cannot start the trial placement until you have received our decision.