News item | 06-03-2024 | 15:03
The cabinet proposes to expand and make more flexible the leave scheme for daily administrators such as aldermen and deputies. The scheme will then be more in line with the current times. For representatives, such as MPs and councillors, the government proposes to look at a more flexible duration of their leave.
This is what Minister Hugo de Jonge of the Interior writes on behalf of the cabinet in response to advice from the Advisory Board on the Legal Status of Political Office Holders. This Advisory Board provides independent advice on the employment conditions of political office holders and, at the request of the minister, advises on the options for modernizing the leave arrangements for executive directors and representatives. A wish that is also shared by political office holders.
Minister de Jonge: “We see that the rules for office holders such as councilors or deputies do not suit their needs if, for example, they are ill or pregnant. The rules are too rigid and constraining. That’s why we want to adjust them. We pay attention to the special character of the political office.”
Leave and replacement
The current arrangement allows leave and replacement in the event of long-term illness, pregnancy and childbirth for a maximum of three periods of 16 weeks each and with a maximum of 48 weeks per term. The arrangement is therefore very rigid and in practice the duration often does not match the wishes of political office holders. The government therefore adopts the advice to make the duration of any extension more flexible after an initial period of 16 weeks by making extension possible in blocks of 4 weeks.
Expansion
The government also proposes to expand the scheme for daily drivers by taking the legislation that applies to employees, the Work and Care Act (Wazo), as a starting point where possible. The proposed extension concerns maternity leave, adoption leave, foster parent leave and informal care leave, whereby the duration as included in the Wazo is adopted.
The government does not consider it desirable to expand the types of leave for representatives due to the special nature of the office. This is because they are chosen on the basis of a personal electoral mandate to represent the population. The constant appointment and resignation of representatives does not benefit the recognisability and prestige of the parliament.
Consultation
The government plans to quickly start making the necessary legislative changes. The professional groups involved will be consulted. The aim is to do that this year. The proposed adjustments will be evaluated five years after introduction.
Read the letter to Parliament with the Cabinet position on the leave and replacement scheme for representatives and executive directors here.