Elderly Staff Members Scheme UT 2006

(Elderly Staff Members Scheme 2006: article 4.21 and further Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities)

In the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities agreement has been reached on an elderly staff members scheme 2006. With effect from 1 January 2006 staff members aged 59 and older can participate in this scheme. The Elderly Staff Members Scheme 2006 consists of the following components. These concern:

a.	a period in which staff members are entitled to a 4-day working week while retaining full-time employment and sacrificing a number of employment conditions. The employment will terminate on reaching the age of 65.

The period referred to under a. can be followed by a maximum period of 1 year in which the staff member will work 3 days a week while retaining full-time employment and against 90% of the salary. After this period of one year the employment will end. Agreements made after 30 June 2006 do not give a right to this 3-day working week. The moment on which the 3-day working week begins can be any date after 30 June 2006.

Re a: The Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities offers full-time staff members aged 59 years and older the possibility to work for 4 days a week, in which context the full-time salary will be maintained. This is subject to the following conditions:

-	During the period set for the staff member in question, the staff member will waive his/her right to days leave in connection with the Elderly Staff Members Scheme (seniorendagen);

-	The right to days holiday will be reduced to 20 days of 8 hours which can be freely taken up.

Until their retirement upon reaching the age of 65, staff members can make use of option a.

Re b: The staff members who makes use of the possibility of a 4-day working week, as described above under a, can opt for working three 8-hour days a week. This possibility applies for a maximum period of one year. This is subject to the following conditions:

-	The staff member will waive his/her right to days leave in connection with the Elderly Staff Members Scheme (seniorendagen);

-	The right to days holiday will be reduced to 15 days of 8 hours which can be freely taken up;

-	The salary will be reduced by 10%

-	All salary-related benefits will be based on 90%; and

-	The basis for pension accrual (including FPU) and social insurances (including (B)WNU and ZNU) will be maintained at 100%.

The employment will end after the maximum period of 1 year.

For staff members with less than full-time employment the Elderly Staff Members Scheme will apply pro rata the working hours agreed on. As soon as the scheme would result in a factual availability of fewer than 3 days per week, the UT, if this is in the interest of a proper fulfilment of the job, can in consultation with the staff member set the compensation in time off on an annual basis instead of on a weekly basis.

Additional income from labour or business acquired during the period as referred to under a will be set off against the salary. If such income is acquired during the period as referred to under b this will be set off against the salary in so far as this exceeds the 10% referred to in that paragraph.

Agreements on proportional job reduction will be made timely between the superior and the staff member. These agreements will be reaffirmed annually.

The so-called bridging days (days on which the university is closed) will not be deducted from the holiday leave. However, as to public holidays the following has been agreed with the OPUT:

·	If a working day coincides with a public holiday, the staff member will have a day off on the public holiday, but will work on the other 4 days of the week in question;

·	If two or more public holidays/days of closure fall on a working day in a week, then the staff member will work on the remaining days.