Long-term sick people who categorically refuse to cooperate in a possible return to work may lose part of their benefit. That compromise is already on the government table. Employers will also have to step in.
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Long-term sick people who categorically refuse to complete a short questionnaire about the possibility of returning to work will soon lose 2.5 percent of their benefits. This also applies to long-term sick people who, without a valid reason, refuse to attend a meeting with a return coach. This sanction is, however, a very last option for persistent refusers after all other options for guidance have failed. That compromise was reached by the governing parties in the negotiations today.
Federal Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) has repeatedly emphasized that everyone will have to take responsibility to reduce the problem of the long-term sick. Our country is already flirting with half a million long-term sick, as was already apparent from the file ‘Forever sick’ by The standard. The costs for benefits amount to nine billion euros per year.
Also companies in sight
Not only the long-term sick will be made responsible, companies with many long-term sick will also have to do their part. These are companies with at least fifty employees that do much worse in terms of long-term illness compared to similar companies in the sector or the private sector in general. The companies will still be able to make adjustments via a kind of flashing light system. But those who fail to do so will have to deposit 2.5 percent of the employer’s contribution into a fund that will be spent on more prevention.
It is striking: the government will only take into account employees under 55 years of age. This exercise will also take place for older employees, but there will be no sanction for the companies. In this respect, the pressure from the government to keep older workers in work for longer remains limited.
Sickness note with possibilities
Physicians and health insurance companies are also given more responsibility in the back-to-work story. For example, GPs will be able to indicate on a voluntary basis which work the patient still thinks they can perform. The medical advisers of the health insurance funds, who decide on the benefit, will also have to indicate on the electronic certificate which jobs are still an option in the future. like it Vandenbroucke cabinet previously announced, the health insurance funds will also lose budget if they barely get anyone to work.
In the new cooperation protocols with the regions, the federal government also wants to link the budget to the number of return processes that are started. As the regions perform better in this area, additional resources would therefore also be made available. That should put the regional governments before their responsibilities.
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