BBZ - Incapacitated for work in the Netherlands

You live in Belgium and work in the Netherlands, and you fall ill. What do you have to do?

You call in sick to work. The industrial medical officer will ask you to come to the Netherlands for a medical examination. Your employer must continue to pay at least 70% of your wages for 2 years. If you have not recovered after 2 years, the Institute for Employee Benefit Schemes (UWV) will start paying you an incapacity benefit.

You will receive this benefit if you are 35% or more incapacitated for work. The UWV will send you a claim form for an incapacity benefit (WIA benefit). Your employer will then be allowed to dismiss you.

The UWV pays two types of benefit:

• IVA benefit: a benefit for people who are unable to earn at least 20% of their last wages and whose chances of recovery are slim 
• WGA benefit: a benefit for people who can still work part-time but who are unable to earn more than 65% of their last wages

You will get the WGA benefit if you worked during 26 of the 36 weeks prior to falling ill. When your benefit expires, you will be entitled to a wage supplement benefit or a follow-up benefit. The following table shows the duration of the IVA and WGA benefits.

If you previously worked in Belgium

If you are incapacitated for work, you will receive incapacity benefit both from the Netherlands and from Belgium. From each country, you will receive an amount which is proportionate to the period that you were covered under social insurance in that country.