Self‑employed workers: new legal presumption and introduction of the Self‑Employment Act
To combat bogus self‑employment, the government is combining the new Self‑Employment Act with elements of the WVBAR.
For hourly rates up to €36, a legal presumption of employment will apply. In cases of doubt, it will more readily be assumed that an employment contract exists. For high-risk sectors, sector-specific presumptions will follow, and a review committee will be introduced to help assess complex qualification questions.
The basic disability insurance for the self-employed remains part of the plans, with an opt-out for those who wish to take out private insurance.
Social security: shorter unemployment benefits, lower payments and changes to disability schemes
The government opts for a substantial modernisation of social security.
From 2028, unemployment benefits will be shortened to a maximum of twelve months. In the first two months, payments will increase to 80% from 2030 (instead of 75%). In return, access will become more restrictive: employees must have worked 42 of the 52 weeks. The accrual of rights will be halved to half a month per year worked.
There will also be changes at the higher end. From 2029, the maximum daily wage will be reduced by 20%. This means lower benefits for higher incomes and lower employer contributions for these groups.
In addition, the IVA scheme will be abolished for new entrants from 2030. With this, the government aims to reduce the backlog at the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). At the same time, greater emphasis will be placed on prevention, rapid reintegration, and a different structure for social‑medical assessments.
Main changes
- From 2028: maximum unemployment benefit duration of twelve months, stricter reference requirements and lower accrual.
- From 2029: 20% reduction in the maximum daily wage for all benefit schemes.
- From 2030: abolition of the IVA scheme for new entrants.
State pension (AOW): once again increasing fully in line with life expectancy
From 2033, the state pension age will again fully increase in line with life expectancy. The benefit will continue to grow in line with prosperity.
Labour migration: more protection and stricter supervision
The government is adopting the recommendations of the Roemer Committee. This means stricter requirements for housing, more responsibility for employers and the introduction of a new admission system for employment agencies (WTTA). In addition, there will be a three‑year pilot to attract highly educated labour migrants under clear conditions.
Sickness absence: less administration and a change to the transition payment
The sickness absence system will remain in place but will be made simpler. Employers will have fewer administrative requirements under the Gatekeeper Improvement Act, more clarity on sanctions and more flexibility to shape reintegration in a tailored way.
An important change is that reimbursement of the transition payment after two years of sickness will be abolished.
Reform of the redundancy selection rules and the non‑compete clause
The redundancy selection rules will become more flexible so that personal circumstances can be taken into account to a greater extent. In addition, the non‑compete clause will be modernised.
Lifelong learning will play a bigger role
Lifelong learning will become an important part of labour market policy. A new scheme will be introduced for sectors with the greatest labour shortages. The government is also working towards individual learning entitlements so employees can plan their development more effectively. The transition payment will be linked to training: employers who invest in timely upskilling or reskilling will ultimately pay a lower transition payment.
Flexible and permanent work: towards a new balance
The government wants greater job security for employees and more agility for entrepreneurs. Flexible work must become less flexible where it now creates insecurity, while permanent contracts must become less rigid. SMEs and start‑ups, in particular, must retain sufficient room to respond to economic developments.
Leave system: major overhaul and simplification
The fragmented system of parental leave, care leave, emergency leave, and birth leave will be simplified. Current schemes will be reviewed based on the SER advice ‘Balans in maatschappelijk verlof’. The aim is a more coherent system with less administration, clear rules and better accessibility.
What does this mean for your organisation?
Although all plans still need to be approved by Parliament, the direction is now clear. Almost every organisation will feel these changes in the long run. It is wise to start looking ahead now and assess what this means for your organisation.
Our specialists are happy to help you map out the impact and determine the appropriate steps, both in the short and longer term.
Would you like to discuss these insights further? Please contact us.
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