One-off compensation for healthcare workers

The scheme Healthcare workers with long-term post-COVID complaints focuses on healthcare workers who were infected with COVID-19 during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and have had long-term post-COVID complaints since then. These complaints have a major impact on the work and private life of these healthcare workers. They are sometimes no longer able to (fully) do their own work as a healthcare worker. A one-off financial support of €15.000 is available for this specific group of healthcare workers. They can apply for the one-off financial support from September 25, 2023 to October 23, 2023.

Healthcare workers who became ill during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (1 March 2020 to 30 June 2020) are eligible. This concerns healthcare workers who provided frequent and intensive care to COVID-19 patients during their work and/or were closely involved in that care during their work and who have now had long-term post-COVID complaints for more than 2 years and as a result can no longer (fully) perform their own work.

Conditions:

1. In the first wave you worked for or have worked at a healthcare provider in one of the following sectors:
   • the nursing and care homes, including primary care accommodation (ELV) and geriatric rehabilitation care (GRZ)
   • the (university) hospitals
   • the care for the disabled
   • the district nursing
   • maternity care
   • the ambulance service
   • intramural youth care
   • the correctional facilities (medical only, BIG-registered personnel)
   • intramural mental health care
   • the GP care
2. During the first wave, you provided frequent and intensive care to patients with COVID-19 at a healthcare provider or you were closely involved in this care provision.
3. In the first wave you reported sick to your employer.
4. You have developed long-term post-COVID complaints that were diagnosed by a doctor before June 1, 2023.
5. Since reporting sick in the first wave, you have been ill for at least 2 years with long-term post-COVID complaints and after these 2 years (also known as a 104-week waiting period) you can no longer (fully) perform your own work as a healthcare worker.

More information about the conditions and documents required to apply for financial support can be found on the website of DUS-IIf you have any questions, healthcare workers can contact the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport on telephone number 070-3405566.

Improvements:

The announced scheme was discussed in the House of Representatives on 1 September 2023 and an internet consultation round took place where people could respond to the proposed scheme. According to Minister Helder, this has led to a number of improvements:

1. First of all, the scope of the scheme has been adjusted, in the sense that healthcare workers who have received a negative WIA decision on the grounds that they can earn more than 65% of the salary earned before illness, can also qualify for financial support.
2. In addition, the scheme has been simplified for the applicant in some places. For example, a copy of the bank statement no longer needs to be submitted because a verification system from the implementation organisation DUS-I can be used.
3. The declaration of the healthcare provider also no longer needs to be signed by the authorized director, but by the (former) manager where the healthcare worker in question was employed or performed work at the time of the first wave. This lowers the threshold for healthcare workers to obtain this declaration.