Unemployment Benefit (WW)

Staff members who become unemployed due to dismissal or the expiry of a temporary employment by the operation of law, can lay claim to a benefit based on the Unemployment Insurance Act (WW). An employee who is entitled to unemployment benefit (WW) is usually also entitled to a benefit based on the top-up unemployment scheme of the Dutch universities (BW-benefit). The statutory unemployment scheme is implemented by CWI (Centre for Work and Income) and UWV (the body implementing employee insurance schemes). On behalf of the universities Raet bv is responsible for the implementation of the top-up scheme.

Conditions

You are eligible for an unemployment (WW)/BW benefit if you meet the following conditions:

You are not entitled to an unemployment (WW)/BW benefit if one of the following situations is applicable:

Duration and level of the benefit

The duration and level of your benefit (unemployment (WW) and/or BW benefit) will depend, among other things, on your employment history. In this context the so-called ‘requirement pertaining to the number of years’ is important. The requirement pertaining to the number of years entails that in the five calendar years preceding your unemployment for at least four years you have received salary over at least 52 days per year or a full occupational disability benefit. Also your age and the duration of your ‘years of service’ are relevant. Years of service is understood to mean the time you have spent, with an interruption of no more than 14 months, prior to your dismissal in employment within primary education, secondary education, adult and vocational education, higher vocational education, research institutions, university education and university hospitals. Three different situations are conceivable:

Situation 1: You do not meet the ‘requirement pertaining to the number of years’
Duration unemployment benefit (WW)/BW benefit: During three months you will receive unemployment benefit and a BW benefit.

Level of unemployment benefit: During the first two month the level of the unemployment benefit will amount to 75% of your daily pay. A maximum daily pay is applicable in this context (2008: € 177.03 per day). In the third month the unemployment benefit will decrease to 70% of your (maximised) daily pay.

Level of BW benefit: You will receive a supplement to your unemployment benefit up to 78% of your actual daily pay.

Situation 2: You do meet the ‘requirement pertaining to the number of years’/.. and on the first day of unemployment are younger than 41 years of age or you have fewer than five years of service
Duration unemployment benefit (WW)/BW benefit: For each year of past employment you will receive one month unemployment benefit and a BW benefit. A maximum of 38 months is applicable in this context. Your employment history is the sum of your actual employment history (A) and your fictitious employment history (B). This is calculated as follows: A = the number of calendar years from 1998 in which you worked in salaried employment for at least 52 days. B = the year 1998 minus the year in which you reached the age of 18 years. A + B is your total employment history.

Once you have calculated your total employment history, you can find the maximum duration of benefits in the table below.

Level of unemployment benefit: In the first two months the level of the unemployment benefit will amount to 75% of your daily pay. A maximum daily pay is applicable in this context (2008: € 177.03 per day). In the remaining months the unemployment benefit will amount to 70% of your (maximised) daily pay.

Level of BW benefit: During a maximum of 12 months you will receive a supplement to your unemployment benefit of up to 78% of your actual daily pay. Over the remaining months the unemployment benefit will be supplemented up to 70% of your actual daily pay.

Situation 3: You do meet the ‘requirement pertaining to the number of years’, on the first day of unemployment you are 41 years of age or older and you have at least five years of service

You will receive an unemployment benefit and a supplementary BW benefit as described under situation 2. If you are still unemployed after the maximum duration of these benefits, then you will usually be entitled to a consecutive BW benefit.

The level of the consecutive BW benefit amounts to 70% of your daily pay. The daily pay belonging to salary scale 12 salary number 10 will apply as maximum daily pay in this context.

The duration of this consecutive benefit depends on your age and your years of service on the first day of unemployment. See the table below.

Wage supplementation scheme

The BWNU has a wage supplementation scheme. This scheme can facilitate reintegration to new employment. It is for example possible to obtain a supplement to your new salary if you find a job in which you receive a lower salary than in your previous job.

Applications

In order to be eligible for an unemployment benefit, you must register with the Centre for Work and Income (CWI) no later than one day after you have become unemployed. You can register online at the CWI from four months before the presumable date of your unemployment, via the website www.werk.nl. If you are unable to register online, call the nearest CWI branch to make an appointment for registration.

Via www.werk.nl you can apply for a WW benefit from three weeks before you (presumably) become unemployed. The application form an additional BW benefit and the procedure for BW benefit applications can be found on the website of the VSNU.

Raet BPO Uitkeringsadministraties

Antwoordnummer 12001

2200 VD Noordwijkerhout