What is a no-risk policy
The no-risk policy is a scheme that makes it attractive for employers to hire an employee with a work limitation or illness. The government hopes that this will allow employers to give everyone a fair chance in the labor market by offsetting perceived higher absenteeism costs.
Benefits of no-risk policy
The no-risk policy has some advantages for employers. On the contrary, it should become more advantageous for them to hire or retain employees who are (partially) disabled. The benefits are:
- The employer can apply for sickness benefits for an employee with a no-risk policy. This compensates the employer for a maximum of 104 weeks in wage costs. The amount of the Sickness Act benefit is between 70 and 100% of the (capped) daily wage;
- For an employee with a no-risk policy, the employer does not have to pay a higher premium for the Sickness Benefits Act;
- The employer does not have to pay a higher premium for the WGA for an employee with a no-risk policy.
Who is the no-risk policy for?
The no-risk policy applies to a number of target groups;
- WAO or WAZ benefit
- WIA benefit
- WW benefit
- Wajong benefit
- WSW employment
- Target Register
- Sheltered employment
- Educational barriers
- REA Act
- Structurally functionally limited
- All target groups and their conditions can be found in Article 29b of the Sickness Law.
Requesting no-risk status
But when does the employer know if someone has a no-risk policy? The employer should ask the employee at the start of employment whether there may be a no-risk policy. Legally, the employee does not have to answer this question during the first 2 months of employment. After these two months, however, the employee is obliged to do so. Should there be any doubt about a possible no-risk policy, inquiries can be made (with the consent of the employee) to the UWV.
Duration of no-risk policy
In principle, the no-risk policy is valid for the first 5 years of employment. There is a possibility to extend the no-risk policy, which is subject to strict rules. For some target groups, the duration of the no-risk policy is unlimited. On the UWV website you can find the duration of the no-risk policy per target group.
