News item | 15-06-2022 | 09:59
Employers can from today subsidy requests to keep healthcare employees with post-covid complaints in service for longer. With the subsidy, employers are encouraged to continue working with the employee on recovery and reintegration. The goal is to retain healthcare workers for healthcare.
Minister Helder: “The people in care were there when society needed them the most. They were at the greatest risk of contact with infected people during the initial phase of the pandemic and therefore deserve our support to be able to work longer on their recovery and reintegration. That is why it is important that the counter for the subsidy scheme is open from today. With this we can help employers to retain these incredibly important people for care, which is struggling with major shortages of staff.”
Keeping people for care
During the corona pandemic, the government called on healthcare workers to stay at work, while little was known about the virus. Some healthcare workers have become ill for a long time due to COVID-19. The outlook for these long-term complaints is not yet clear. Due to the shortage of personnel in care, it is highly desirable to retain these people for care. The pressure on healthcare and corona measures have very limited the possibilities for reintegration. The subsidy scheme gives employers and employees in care longer time to work on recovery and reintegration.
Subsidy scheme
The subsidy scheme consists of temporary support from the employer for a voluntary extension of the continued payment of wages. The temporary support is in line with the existing system of illness and incapacity for work. As usual, the employer and employee make agreements about their commitment to the recovery and reintegration process. They can jointly apply to the UWV for a voluntary extension of the wage payment period. The employee then remains in the service of the employer.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) offers partial coverage of the costs of extended wage payment to employees who became ill for a long time between March 2020 and December 2020. The employer is expected to extend wage payment after the second year of illness by a minimum of six months and a maximum of twelve months. During that period, employer and employee continue to work on recovery and reintegration. The scheme will remain open until December 2022 and can be used retroactively.
After the continued payment of wages in the event of illness, people, such as anyone who is unable to work or is unable to work due to illness or incapacity for work, can apply for a WIA benefit.
Care, support and research
People with postcovid complaints can C-support receive support in the areas of health, work, income and social life. They can also get in touch with fellow sufferers and expert care providers via PostCovid NL† The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport finances this support. In the case of serious complaints and limitations, paramedical recovery care, such as physiotherapy, is reimbursed under certain conditions from the basic package. The scheme has recently been extended until August 2023.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport also funds research into diagnostics, treatment and organization of care for people with post-covid complaints. The RIVM is also investigating this. Employers, employees, zzp and healthcare professionals are informed about the consequences of postcovid complaints via special guides†