An employer may offer a VSO during sick leave in the Netherlands, but you are not required to accept it. If you sign while you are still unfit for work—especially during the first 104 weeks—you may voluntarily bring your rights to continued salary and reintegration to an end, while UWV warns that Ziektewet will probably be unavailable and WW cannot start if you remain sick on the termination date. The agreement should therefore be reviewed before signature, with particular attention to your medical status, benefits, termination date, compensation, WIA position and any residence-permit consequences.
This article was written by Av. Derya Yurteri Çetin, founder of DYC Legal Consultancy. Through the Netherlands practice, she advises international employees on Dutch employment and immigration matters, including sickness, burnout, employment termination, settlement agreements and residence-related consequences of job loss.
Key rules
- A VSO is voluntary. You do not have to sign it.
- An employer generally continues paying at least 70% of wages for up to 104 weeks of sickness.
- A permanent employee is generally protected against dismissal during those two years.
- If you sign while still sick, Ziektewet may be refused.
- If you are sick on the termination date, you cannot immediately receive WW.
- Proper WW wording cannot correct an inaccurate recovery declaration.
- Reintegration continues while the employment relationship remains in force.
- After 104 weeks, a VSO may be possible, but WIA and loonsanctie issues must first be checked.
- You normally have 14 days to cancel the agreement in writing, or 21 days if the agreement does not mention that right.
These rules reflect official guidance available in July 2026. Your employment contract, CAO, medical position and UWV circumstances may produce a different result.
Last updated: 22 July 2026
What Is a VSO During Sick Leave?
A VSO is a vaststellingsovereenkomst: a written settlement agreement under which an employer and employee agree to end the employment relationship by mutual consent.
Because both parties agree, the employer does not normally need advance permission from UWV or the subdistrict court. The agreement determines matters such as the termination date, salary until that date, severance compensation, unused holidays, release from work, restrictive covenants and final discharge.
This route is different from a unilateral dismissal. Its legal effect is based on the employee’s agreement.
That distinction is particularly important during sickness. The normal prohibition against dismissal protects the employee from an employer ending the contract unilaterally, but it does not prevent the employee from voluntarily agreeing to termination.
A VSO can therefore be legally possible while the employee is sick. That does not mean it is financially safe.
Can an Employer Offer a VSO While an Employee Is Sick?
Yes. An employer may propose a settlement agreement during sick leave.
The employee can accept, reject or negotiate the proposal. A VSO cannot terminate the employment relationship without the employee’s consent.
This means that a deadline imposed by HR is usually a negotiation deadline, not an obligation to sign. The employee should ask for sufficient time to obtain legal advice, understand the medical and benefit consequences and compare the proposal with the rights that continue if no agreement is signed.
UWV expressly advises sick employees not to sign a settlement or termination agreement without carefully considering the consequences.
You Are Not Required to Accept the Agreement
A sick employee may have considerably more protection than the proposed VSO suggests.
If the employee has a permanent contract and has been sick for less than two years, the employer generally cannot dismiss them because of the sickness. The employer must usually continue paying salary and supporting reintegration.
By signing, the employee gives the employer something it may not otherwise be able to obtain at that time: an agreed termination date.
The compensation and other terms should be assessed against the value of the protection being surrendered, not merely against a normal VSO offered to a healthy employee.
Refusing a VSO Is Not the Same as Refusing Reintegration
Rejecting a settlement agreement does not itself end the employment contract. It also does not automatically justify stopping salary.
The employee must still cooperate with reasonable reintegration steps, attend appropriate company-doctor appointments and consider suitable work. The employer must continue fulfilling its own reintegration responsibilities.
A dispute about voluntary termination is legally different from a dispute about cooperation with reintegration. Salary sanctions may become relevant where an employee unjustifiably refuses reasonable reintegration obligations, but not merely because the employee declines to sign a VSO.
Why Is Signing a VSO During the First 104 Weeks Risky?
The first 104 weeks of sickness form a protected period under Dutch employment law.
During this period, the employer generally has two connected responsibilities:
- Continued payment of wages
- Active support for the employee’s reintegration
A VSO can bring both responsibilities to an agreed end on the termination date.
Continued Salary During Sickness
An employer must generally pay at least 70% of the employee’s normal wages for a maximum of two years. During the first year, the statutory payment may have to be supplemented to the minimum-wage level. An employment contract or CAO can provide more favourable sick-pay terms, including payment above 70%.
Consider an employee who is only four months into a sickness period and receives a VSO with a termination date two months later.
Without the VSO, the employer may potentially remain responsible for salary and reintegration for a much longer period. With the VSO, that responsibility ends on the agreed date.
A severance offer of two or three months’ salary may therefore be considerably less valuable than the rights the employee would otherwise retain.
Dismissal Protection During the First Two Years
A permanent employee generally benefits from a prohibition against dismissal during the first two years of sickness.
There are exceptions, including certain probationary dismissals, urgent-cause situations and serious failures to cooperate with reintegration. However, ordinary employer dissatisfaction or a wish to reduce sickness-related costs does not automatically remove the protection.
UWV confirms that the prohibition normally applies during the first two years and can last longer if UWV imposes a wage-payment sanction because the employer did not do enough for reintegration.
Signing a VSO means that the employee is no longer relying on that statutory protection. The employment ends because the employee agreed to it.
Risk of Losing Ziektewet Entitlement
One of the greatest risks is the assumption that UWV will simply replace the employer’s salary with a Ziektewet benefit.
UWV states that when an employee is still sick and incapacitated at the time of signing, the employee will probably not receive Ziektewet. With a permanent contract, an employee who voluntarily ends employment while sick loses the right to continued salary and will probably not receive a sickness benefit.
The reason is significant. During the first two years, the employer—not UWV—is normally responsible for continued salary. By agreeing to end the employment relationship, the employee may be treated as having unnecessarily brought that salary entitlement to an end.
A clause stating that the parties “expect” Ziektewet will be granted does not bind UWV.
Why WW-Friendly Wording May Not Be Enough
A properly drafted VSO normally states that:
- The employer initiated the termination
- The employee did nothing seriously wrong
- There is no urgent cause for dismissal
- The employment ends by mutual consent
- The applicable notice period is respected
These clauses can help preserve WW eligibility for a healthy employee. UWV also requires an applicant to be immediately available for paid work.
If the employee is still sick on the termination date, that availability condition is not met. UWV states clearly that an employee cannot receive WW at the end of employment while still sick.
The phrase “WW-safe VSO” should therefore be treated carefully. A document can contain the usual WW wording and still fail to protect an employee who is medically unable to work.
What Happens to the Reintegration Process?
As long as the employee remains employed, the employer remains responsible for monitoring sick leave and supporting the return-to-work process. The employee must also continue cooperating.
Signing the VSO does not necessarily end employment on the same day. If the agreed termination date is three months later, the employment contract normally remains active during those three months.
The agreement should clearly address:
- Whether salary continues in full or at the applicable sick-pay level
- Whether the employee remains subject to reintegration appointments
- Whether the employee is released from work and reintegration activities
- Whether the company doctor remains involved
- Who completes the reintegration file
- What the employer will report to UWV
- What happens if the employee recovers or deteriorates before the end date
A vague clause stating that the employee is “released from all duties” may not adequately address reintegration and benefit consequences.
VSO During Burnout or Psychological Illness
The same basic rules apply when the sickness involves burnout, anxiety, depression, exhaustion or other psychological complaints.
A burnout-related sick report is not legally less important than a physical illness. The relevant question is whether the employee is able to perform the work and what functional limitations apply.
A VSO offered during burnout can be especially difficult to evaluate. The employee may be exhausted, anxious about contact with the employer or willing to sign simply to end a stressful situation.
That does not necessarily make the agreement invalid. It does make independent advice and sufficient decision-making time particularly important.
Employees dealing with psychological sickness should also review the broader guidance on burnout at work in the Netherlands, including company-doctor involvement, reintegration pressure and medical privacy.
Do Not Declare Yourself Recovered Solely to Obtain WW
A common proposed solution is:
“Report yourself fully recovered before the end date, and then apply for WW.”
This may only work where the employee is genuinely able and available to work.
The employee should not make a recovery declaration that contradicts the actual medical and functional situation. UWV determines benefit eligibility from the facts, not merely from the wording chosen by the employer and employee.
A standard VSO may contain a declaration that the employee is not sick. UWV’s own guidance identifies this as relevant to benefit entitlement. Signing such a statement while still incapacitated can create serious credibility and benefit problems.
Company Doctor, Second Opinion and UWV Expert Opinion
The company doctor assesses the employee’s functional limitations and advises on return to work. If the employee doubts the company doctor’s medical advice, they can request a second opinion from another company doctor.
Where the dispute concerns suitable work, ability to return without support or whether either party is making sufficient reintegration efforts, an employee or employer can request an UWV expert opinion.
These procedures are not automatic substitutes for legal review. They can, however, provide important evidence where the employer proposes a VSO based on a disputed assumption that the employee is recovered or cannot reintegrate.
Permanent Contracts and Fixed-Term Contracts
The risk depends partly on the type of employment contract.
VSO During Sickness With a Permanent Contract
With a permanent contract, the employer generally remains responsible for salary and reintegration during the first 104 weeks.
If the employee signs a VSO, the contract ends on the negotiated date. The employee may then lose:
- Future sick pay from the employer
- Continued reintegration support
- Protection against dismissal
- Access to suitable or adjusted work
- The possibility of an employer loonsanctie
- A stronger negotiating position after long-term sickness
UWV specifically warns that a sick employee with a permanent contract who resigns loses continued salary and will probably not receive Ziektewet. The same underlying benefit risk must be examined when employment is voluntarily ended through a VSO.
Natural Expiry of a Temporary Contract While Sick
A temporary contract can expire automatically on its agreed end date even if the employee is sick.
The employer does not have to renew it. On the final day, the employer reports the employee sick out of service to UWV. The employee may then qualify for Ziektewet because the contract ended naturally rather than through an avoidable early termination.
This distinction is critical.
An employee whose temporary contract ends in six weeks may have little reason to sign a VSO terminating the contract next week. Signing early could surrender six weeks of salary and complicate the subsequent sickness-benefit assessment.
Why Ending a Temporary Contract Early May Be Harmful
UWV states that a sick employee who resigns during the term of a temporary contract does not receive Ziektewet until the original contract would have ended.
A proposed early settlement should therefore be compared with the natural expiry scenario.
The employer should explain:
- Why an early end is being requested
- What salary is being paid for the remaining contract period
- Whether the proposed compensation covers that lost salary
- How the employee will be reported to UWV
- Whether the employer will provide the required reintegration report
- What happens if the employee is still sick on the original end date
When Might Signing a VSO During Sickness Be Reasonable?
A VSO is not automatically disadvantageous in every sickness case.
It may be reasonable where the risks have been identified and the agreement provides a better practical outcome than continuing the employment relationship. That conclusion must be based on the employee’s actual facts.
Genuine Recovery Before the Termination Date
An employee may be sick when negotiations begin but genuinely recover before the employment ends.
A VSO may then support WW entitlement if:
- The recovery is genuine
- The employee is immediately available for work on the termination date
- The employer initiated the termination
- There is no urgent cause or serious employee misconduct
- The correct notice period is respected
- All other WW conditions are met
There is still a timing risk. Recovery may take longer than expected, or symptoms may return before the end date.
Where recovery is uncertain, the parties may need to consider a carefully drafted condition connected to the employee’s actual capacity on the proposed termination date. Such a clause requires individual legal assessment and cannot replace the medical reality.
A Secured New Job That Is Medically Suitable
An employee may have obtained a new job that is better suited to their capacity and recovery.
Before ending the existing contract, the employee should confirm:
- The new contract is final and unconditional
- The start date is realistic
- The work is medically suitable
- The new employer knows what it legally needs to know
- There is no gap in income
- The current non-compete or non-solicitation clause will not cause a problem
- The residence permit can be transferred or changed where required
Moving to a new employer while still sick can shift salary and reintegration responsibilities. UWV notes that if a person changes jobs while sick and remains sick on the first day with the new employer, the new employer may become responsible for continued salary and reintegration.
VSO After 104 Weeks of Sickness
After two years of sickness, the legal position changes.
The employer’s normal wage-payment duty and the ordinary dismissal prohibition may have ended. The employer can then apply to UWV for permission to dismiss if the conditions for long-term incapacity are met.
UWV examines, among other things, whether:
- The employee cannot perform the original work because of sickness
- Sufficient recovery is unlikely within 26 weeks
- The original work cannot reasonably be adapted
- There is no suitable alternative position within the company or group
- Reasonable training would not make redeployment possible
- The dismissal prohibition has ended
- The employer sufficiently fulfilled reintegration obligations
At that stage, a VSO may avoid an UWV dismissal procedure and give the parties control over timing, compensation and practical arrangements.
The first sickness date, WIA status and any wage-payment sanction should still be checked before signing.
A Settlement That Fully Addresses the Financial Risks
In some cases, an employee knowingly chooses termination despite uncertain benefit entitlement.
The financial package would then need to account for more than a standard severance amount. It may need to cover:
- Lost salary during the remaining 104-week period
- The risk of no Ziektewet
- The risk of delayed or unavailable WW
- Pension loss
- Lost bonus, commission or equity
- Medical and reintegration costs
- Immigration-related costs
- Legal expenses
- The value of potential claims being released
This is a commercial decision rather than a guarantee that UWV will grant a benefit.
VSO After Long-Term Sickness
A VSO proposed around the end of the two-year period requires a different assessment from an agreement offered after several weeks of burnout.
WIA and Termination Are Separate Processes
Around week 88 of sickness, UWV normally informs the employee about applying for WIA. A complete reintegration report is generally needed, and WIA can begin after 104 weeks if the statutory conditions are met.
A WIA decision does not automatically terminate the employment contract. Likewise, signing a VSO does not itself determine whether the employee qualifies for WIA.
UWV assesses WIA under its own statutory criteria. However, the employment end date, reintegration file, first sickness date, medical position and statements in the VSO can all affect the practical process.
The agreement should not contain language suggesting that the employee is fully recovered if the employee is simultaneously claiming continued incapacity for WIA purposes.
For a broader explanation, see the guide to dismissal after two years of sick leave in the Netherlands.
Check for a Possible UWV Wage-Payment Sanction
UWV reviews whether the employer did enough to support reintegration.
If the employer’s efforts were inadequate, UWV can require the employer to continue salary for up to one additional year. The employer cannot dismiss the employee during that extended period.
Signing a VSO before this issue is resolved may give up a valuable right.
Before accepting an agreement near week 104, check:
- Whether the WIA application was submitted on time
- Whether the reintegration report is complete
- Whether first-track and second-track reintegration were properly considered
- Whether suitable internal work existed
- Whether UWV has issued or may issue a loonsanctie
- Whether the employer disputes the first sickness date
- Whether the employee is performing productive work for part of the week
VSO or UWV Dismissal Procedure?
If the employee does not sign, the employer may apply to UWV after long-term sickness.
That procedure requires the employer to substantiate the dismissal conditions. The employee has an opportunity to respond.
A VSO may still be preferable where it provides:
- An acceptable termination date
- Appropriate compensation
- Payment of all outstanding entitlements
- Release from restrictive covenants
- A neutral reference
- Certainty regarding practical arrangements
- Protection of immigration planning
The employee should compare the offer with the likely outcome of an UWV procedure rather than assuming that signing is obligatory.
Partial Work Capacity and Suitable Work
An employee may remain partially sick but still be capable of adjusted or part-time work.
Before agreeing to full termination, assess:
- Whether the existing role can be adapted
- Whether suitable work is available internally
- Whether the employee is already performing valuable work
- Whether a partial termination is being proposed
- How the remaining earning capacity affects WIA
- Whether another employer offers genuinely suitable work
UWV requires employers seeking dismissal after long-term incapacity to examine adapted work and suitable alternative positions.
f of delivery.
Special Risks for Expats and Highly Skilled Migrants
For an international employee, the VSO can affect more than salary and benefits.
A residence permit may depend on the employment relationship or on employment with a recognised sponsor. The termination date in the VSO can therefore start an immigration deadline.
Under the IND rules current in July 2026, a highly skilled migrant whose job ends while the residence permit remains valid has up to three months to find a new qualifying job. A person who has held the permit for at least two years may have up to six months. The period cannot extend beyond the residence permit’s expiry date and begins when the employment contract ends. These rules should be checked again before signing because immigration rules can change.
The VSO should therefore be reviewed for:
- The exact contractual end date
- Whether paid release from work keeps employment active
- The remaining residence-permit validity
- The employee’s total period as a highly skilled migrant
- The recognised-sponsor status of a prospective employer
- The effect on accompanying family members
- Alternative residence-permit options
- Pending permanent-residence or nationality applications
More detail is available in the guide to the highly skilled migrant search period after job loss.
Practical Examples
Example 1: VSO Offered During Early Burnout
An employee with a permanent contract has been sick for 10 weeks because of burnout. The employer offers two months’ salary as compensation and asks for termination in six weeks.
If the employee does not sign, salary continuation and reintegration could potentially remain the employer’s responsibility for much longer. If the employee signs while still sick, UWV may refuse Ziektewet, and WW will not be available if the employee remains unable to work on the end date.
The proposed two months’ compensation should therefore be compared with the value of the continuing employment rights—not merely with a standard severance calculation.
Example 2: Temporary Contract Ending Naturally
An employee is sick, and the fixed-term contract will expire in two months. The employer proposes a VSO ending the contract immediately.
If the employee lets the contract expire naturally, the employer must generally continue salary until the contractual end and report the employee sick out of service. Ziektewet may then be available.
An early VSO could sacrifice the remaining salary and complicate the UWV assessment. The employer would need to offer a clear and sufficient reason for the employee to accept that risk.
Example 3: VSO in Week 106
An employee has passed 104 weeks of sickness. The WIA application is pending, and the employer proposes a VSO with compensation equivalent to the transition payment.
Before signing, the employee should verify the first sickness date, whether UWV may impose a loonsanctie, whether suitable part-time work exists, what the reintegration report says and whether the compensation calculation is correct.
A VSO may be appropriate at this stage, but the passage of 104 weeks alone does not answer all of these questions.
Example 4: Employee Expects to Recover Before the End Date
An employee is partially sick when signing negotiations start but is expected to recover within two months. The proposed termination date is three months away.
The employee should obtain current occupational-health advice and avoid guaranteeing recovery. The agreement should address what happens if the employee is still sick, partially sick or has relapsed on the termination date.
A properly worded employer-initiated VSO can support WW eligibility only if the employee is genuinely available for work and satisfies the remaining WW conditions.
Example 5: Highly Skilled Migrant on Sick Leave
A highly skilled migrant signs a VSO with an end date of 1 October. The residence permit is valid until 15 December.
Even where the employee qualifies for the longer six-month search period, it cannot continue beyond the permit’s validity. The practical period in this example may therefore end on 15 December.
Negotiating a later employment end date could provide additional time to recover and find a recognised sponsor. The current IND rules and the particular residence document must be checked before agreement.
What Should You Do After Receiving a VSO While Sick?
1. Do Not Sign on the Same Day
Ask for the proposal in writing.
Do not rely only on an HR explanation or verbal assurance that the agreement is standard, benefit-safe or non-negotiable.
2. Collect the Relevant Documents
A proper review may require:
- Employment contract and amendments
- Applicable CAO
- Proposed VSO
- Recent payslips
- First sickness date
- Company-doctor advice
- Problem analysis
- Plan of action
- First-year evaluation
- Reintegration correspondence
- WIA or UWV correspondence
- Residence permit and IND decisions
- Bonus, equity and pension documents
- Existing non-compete clause
Medical details should only be shared where they are relevant and appropriate.
3. Compare Signing With Not Signing
Calculate what happens if the employment continues.
Consider:
- Remaining sick-pay period
- Contractual sick-pay percentage
- Expected recovery period
- Reintegration opportunities
- Natural end date of a temporary contract
- Potential WIA route
- Possible loonsanctie
- Immigration timeline
A VSO cannot be valued correctly without this comparison.
4. Clarify the Medical Position
Where recovery or capacity is disputed, obtain current occupational-health advice.
A second opinion may be appropriate where you doubt the company doctor’s medical advice. An UWV expert opinion may help where the dispute concerns suitable work or reintegration efforts.
5. Request a Legal-Cost Contribution
Ask the employer to include a separate contribution for independent legal review.
The contribution should not be deducted from the severance amount unless that is explicitly and knowingly agreed.
6. Negotiate the Entire Agreement
Do not focus only on severance.
The end date, notice period, salary, benefits, restrictive covenants, reference, immigration timing and final discharge may be equally important.
7. Act Quickly if You Have Already Signed
Check the signing date and the wording on the cooling-off period immediately.
Where the 14-day or 21-day period is still open, cancellation must be made in writing. After that period, challenging the agreement becomes more difficult and will depend on the specific facts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my employer offer me a VSO while I am on sick leave?
Yes. A VSO is based on mutual consent, so an employer may propose it during sickness. You are not required to accept it, and UWV warns sick employees against signing without considering the benefit consequences.
Do I have to sign a settlement agreement during sickness?
No. A VSO cannot end the employment relationship without your agreement. The employer may pursue another legally available dismissal route, but during the first two years of sickness an ordinary dismissal is generally prohibited.
Can my employer stop paying my salary if I refuse the VSO?
Not solely because you refused consensual termination. The employment contract continues, as do the applicable sick-pay and reintegration rules. Salary consequences may arise separately if an employee unjustifiably fails to cooperate with reasonable reintegration duties.
Can I receive Ziektewet after signing a VSO while sick?
There is a serious risk that you will not. UWV states that an employee who is still sick and incapacitated when signing will probably not receive Ziektewet. The exact outcome depends on the contract type, timing, reason for termination and other facts.
Can I receive WW if I am still sick on the termination date?
No immediate WW is available if you are not capable of and available for paid work. UWV expressly identifies immediate availability as a condition and states that an employee cannot receive WW while sick at the end of employment.
Is a VSO safe if it says that I retain my right to WW?
Not necessarily. Correct employer-initiative, no-fault and notice-period wording is important, but UWV is not bound by a contractual promise. Your actual health and availability on the termination date remain decisive.
Can I report myself recovered before the termination date?
Only where the recovery declaration reflects your actual ability to work. Do not report recovered merely to fit the wording of the agreement or obtain WW. Where capacity is uncertain, seek current occupational-health advice.
What happens if I become sick after signing the agreement?
Report the sickness correctly and obtain legal advice promptly. The result may depend on whether you were healthy when signing, when the sickness began, whether the termination remains unrelated to sickness and whether you are still sick at the end date. Do not assume that either WW or Ziektewet will automatically apply.
Does the same rule apply to burnout?
Yes. Burnout and other psychological conditions can constitute sickness where they prevent the employee from performing the work. The same salary, reintegration, dismissal and benefit risks can therefore apply.
Is signing safer after 104 weeks of sickness?
It can be, because the ordinary wage-payment period and dismissal prohibition may have ended. Before signing, check the WIA process, possible loonsanctie, suitable work, partial capacity, first sickness date and compensation.
Will signing a VSO affect my WIA application?
A VSO does not itself decide WIA entitlement; UWV makes that assessment. However, signing before or around 104 weeks can affect the employment, salary and reintegration context, and inaccurate statements in the agreement can create problems. The VSO and WIA file should therefore be reviewed together.
What happens if UWV imposes a loonsanctie?
The employer may have to continue paying wages and supporting reintegration for up to one additional year, and dismissal protection continues during that extended period. Signing a VSO may give up that protection, so do not sign before the sanction issue has been assessed.
Can a temporary contract expire while I am sick?
Yes. A fixed-term contract can end automatically on its agreed date. The employer then reports the employee sick out of service, and the employee may be eligible for Ziektewet. This is different from agreeing to end the contract early.
Am I automatically entitled to a transition payment under a VSO?
No standard transition payment arises automatically merely because a VSO is signed. The compensation must be expressly negotiated and recorded. An amount equivalent to the transition payment can be used as a benchmark, especially after long-term sickness.
How long do I have to cancel a signed settlement agreement?
Normally 14 days. If the employer did not inform you of the cooling-off right in the agreement, the period is normally 21 days. Cancellation must be made in writing.
Should the employer pay for my legal review?
The contribution is generally a negotiation point rather than an automatic entitlement. Many VSOs include a separate employer-funded legal budget. Ask for it before instructing an adviser where possible.
Can a VSO affect a highly skilled migrant residence permit?
Yes. The contractual end date can start the IND job-search period. Under the rules current in July 2026, this may be up to three months or, after at least two years on the permit, up to six months, but never beyond the residence permit’s expiry date.
What can I do if I have already signed?
Check immediately whether the 14-day or 21-day cooling-off period remains open. Where it does, cancel in writing and retain evidence that the notice was delivered. Where it has expired, obtain legal advice about the wording, signing circumstances and any remaining options.
Related Articles and Official Sources
Related DYC Legal Articles
- Sick Leave Employment Law in the Netherlands
- Dismissal After 2 Years of Sick Leave in the Netherlands
- Burnout at Work in the Netherlands
- Settlement Agreements in the Netherlands
- Highly Skilled Migrant Search Period After Job Loss
- Applying for WW Benefits in the Netherlands
- Garden Leave and Non-Compete in the Netherlands
Official Sources
- UWV rules on dismissal and a VSO during sickness
- UWV guidance when an employee agrees to dismissal
- Official sick-pay requirements in the Netherlands
- Official reintegration obligations for employers and employees
- UWV conditions for receiving WW
- UWV dismissal rules after two years of sickness
- Government guidance on mutual termination and the cooling-off period
- UWV guidance when employment ends while the employee is sick
- UWV expert opinion when reintegration is disputed
- Current IND rules for highly skilled migrants
Legal Advice From DYC Legal Consultancy
A VSO received during sickness should not be reviewed in the same way as an ordinary termination agreement.
The document may affect your continued salary, reintegration rights, Ziektewet, WW, WIA, severance, non-compete obligations and—if you are an international employee—your right to remain and work in the Netherlands.
DYC Legal Consultancy assists employees, expats, Turkish-speaking clients and international professionals with:
- Reviewing the proposed settlement agreement
- Comparing the offer with the value of continued employment
- Assessing Ziektewet, WW and WIA risks
- Checking the correct termination date and notice period
- Negotiating compensation and legal costs
- Protecting bonus, leave, pension and reference rights
- Limiting non-compete and final-discharge clauses
- Assessing highly skilled migrant and other residence-permit consequences
Before signing, arrange a confidential consultation through the DYC Legal Consultancy contact page. Bring the proposed VSO, employment contract, applicable CAO, first sickness date, recent payslips, relevant company-doctor and reintegration documents, and any UWV or IND correspondence.
Legal disclaimer: This article provides general information as of 22 July 2026 and does not constitute individual legal advice. A VSO described as WW-safe does not guarantee entitlement to WW, Ziektewet or WIA; UWV determines benefit entitlement independently. Employment contracts, collective agreements, medical circumstances, statutory thresholds and IND rules can change the outcome. Current official rules should therefore be checked before signing, cancelling or negotiating a settlement agreement.