Keeping your job when you have post-COVID is difficult. Research shows that more than half of the participating patients have reduced their working hours or are even completely sick at home. A large group has also had to leave the labor process completely. An important factor in this is the lack of understanding on the work floor. Minister Van Gennip of SZW and Minister Kuipers of VWS are jointly committed to keeping your job in case of post-COVID complaints.
Keeping your job when you have post-COVID. That is not easy. On the one hand because of the erratic course of the complaints and recovery, on the other hand because people do not yet know what works and what does not, but certainly also because of the unfamiliarity and lack of understanding on the work floor. And that while research shows that 1 in 8 people continue to have complaints after a COVID infection, and more than 10% experience work problems. Figures from the research of the Erasmus MC and C-support shows that more than half of the participants have reduced their working hours or are completely sick at home. A large group has also had to leave the labor process completely.
"The (partial) loss of work and income has far-reaching consequences for those involved and their families. But the consequences are also significant for employers in some sectors, such as in the healthcare and education sectors: with the already high level of absenteeism and the tightness on the labor market, they cannot spare anyone," can be read in the MIT advisory report.
SZW and VWS work together to retain jobs
Both the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport emphasize the importance of job retention in case of post-COVID complaints. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment focuses on more awareness of post-COVID and work; with information, tools and personal guidance for workers and their environment such as employers, colleagues, occupational health and safety and care professionals.
“Ensuring that people can continue to participate in the labor process despite the fact that they have post-COVID complaints. That is what I and my ministry are happy to commit to,” says Karien van Gennip, Minister of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW)
In turn, VWS invests in research into the causes and good treatments of post-COVID, so that this contributes to recovery and thus to being able to continue to participate better in society.
“The network of expertise should help conduct research and develop treatments, but the research should also focus on how people can participate at work and in social activities,” said Ernst Kuipers, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) during the COVID-19 and Work congress.
COVID-19 and work
In 2021, the 'Covid-19 and work' program was launched. Within this program, in collaboration with UWV information and training developed for employees, employers, self-employed workers, occupational health and safety professionals and healthcare professionals. This program is a collaboration between Centrum Werk Gezondheid and C-support and was created with the support of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport following a motion by D66 and SP. To conclude this program, the conference 'Post-COVID and work' took place on June 19.
"It is an honor to be here, but even more honor goes to ministers Ernst Kuijpers and Karien van Gennip. The importance they attach to this subject and the attention and time they devote to it and make available for it shows the importance of this," says Annemieke de Groot, director-manager of C-support.
The opening scene of the conference, in which a driver, together with his company doctor, occupational therapist and general practitioner, talks about his situation in which he is confronted with the unfamiliarity and lack of understanding about his illness and the pain it causes him that he cannot work, indicates the need for attention to work (retention) in the post-COVID era.
Future agenda
Together with speakers and participants of the congress, a future agenda post-COVID and work is now being created. In this way, even more people with post-COVID can be supported in an important social role, that of working.
