Disability contributes to existential insecurity
The Council for Public Health and Society (RVS) published an advisory report last June entitled (Customised care for long-term complaints after Covid.
The RVS is thus drawing attention to the problems that people with unexplained complaints experience with labor market participation and social security. A very urgent report now that the first dismissals have occurred, more than two years after the first corona wave. The RVS wants to gain insight into these problems and makes recommendations on that basis. Not only for the long-term complaints after covid but also for comparable conditions such as Q fever and Lyme. With these recommendations, RVS wants to contribute to the pandemic preparedness of the Netherlands in the event of future outbreaks of a new (unknown) infectious disease.
Reintegration made more difficult
The RVS states that reintegration during the pandemic has been seriously hampered by all the measures such as working from home. The UWV understands the employers. If they were unable to meet their reintegration obligations as a result, they will not be hit by a wage sanction (one year of continued salary payment). However, the employee may still be dismissed after completing the 'waiting period' (104 weeks). The RVS states that an extension of the reintegration to 12 months should be possible and that the government should cover the costs of this.
WIA
Long-term complaints after covid are largely unexplained complaints after an unknown condition. These complaints are difficult to objectify. The RVS believes that this poses a risk of subjective assessment by insurance physicians. This is partly determined by the personal views of the insurance physician about the condition in question. The result of this is that people in comparable situations are not assessed in the same way. This phenomenon also exists with other conditions such as ME/CFS and long-term complaints after Q fever. The RVS advocates setting up temporary, specialized teams at the UWV for such unexplained, new conditions. These teams gather knowledge and then share it with colleagues. The large group of people with long-term complaints after covid is an excellent opportunity to make this quality leap, also with a view to the future. After all, it is not the first and will certainly not be the last condition with difficult to objectify complaints, the RVS believes.
Independent disputes committee
If the employee does not agree with the conclusions for the WIA, he or she can submit a request for reconsideration to the UWV. This request is then assessed by a special 'objection and appeal' department of the UWV again. The next step is to go to court and ultimately the Central Appeals Tribunal. According to the RVS, this poses a major hurdle, including high costs. In addition, legal proceedings certainly do not contribute to recovery. Moreover, the chance of success for the employee appears to be very small. The RVS therefore advocates an independent disputes committee. Such an independent disputes committee could possibly also be accessible to self-employed persons with disability insurance.
Special attention
The RVS asks for special attention for ZZP'ers and healthcare workers. The latter group has often been forced and unprotected to do their work on the front line of the pandemic and is now out of action for a long time and is being made redundant, with all the financial and social consequences that entails. Generosity is required here, the RVS believes.
Several advisory councils have already stated that the labour market is not future-proof and leads to 'flexibilisation'. The Commission for the Regulation of Work recommended, among other things, a mandatory disability insurance for all workers and making sustainable employment relationships more attractive. According to the RVS, the group of self-employed and flexible workers with long-term complaints after covid is an illustration of the need for reform of the labour market.
Investment in the future
RVS believes that the recommended measures should be seen as an investment in the future. Once people have left the labour market, it will cost much more money and energy to get people back into the labour market. Now that people with (chronic) complaints are generously retained for (suitable) work, it will ultimately yield more. And it will therefore contribute to the quality of life of many people with a chronic, still largely unknown, condition.
Read the full report, which was produced in consultation with many parties, including C-support.
