Flemish and federal governments to cooperate more closely to help long-term sick return to work
The Flemish and federal governments will work more closely together to help the long-term sick return to work. They focus amongst others on rapid registration with the employment agency VDAB and imposing sanctions on those who fail to comply with the agreements. Flemish minister for Employment Zuhal Demir and federal minister for Public Health Frank Vandenbroucke have reached a protocol agreement on this matter.
Belgium has an estimated 585,000 people who have been out of work for more than twelve months due to illness. The Flemish and federal governments have been working for some time on measures to help these people find work again. At the federal level, a Back-to-Work policy has been rolled out to activate the long-term sick with employment potential. In Flanders, the focus is on targeted pathways and coaching via, amongst others, VDAB.
Better cooperation between the two governments should now lead more people onto a pathway to work. Specifically, the aim is to increase the current 15,000 annual Back-to-Work Policy pathways to at least 20,000 by 2029.
To achieve this, people on long-term sick leave must be referred more quickly to VDAB via health insurance funds, GPs and occupational health doctors. According to the two ministers, this involves a commitment “with clear rights and obligations”. People on long-term sick leave with the potential to work who do not register with the employment agency, or who fail to attend the initial appointment, may therefore face sanctions.
The idea is that VDAB will look at what the employee is still capable of doing. “Each pathway will be tailored to the individual’s capabilities, but health will always remain the top priority. No one will be pushed into work that is not feasible,” underlined the ministers.
The long-term sick will be able to register with VDAB more quickly. The current waiting period of twelve months will be reduced to six months. For people without an employment contract, this waiting period will be abolished entirely.
In addition, the agreement also provides for a new digital platform for the exchange of data between VDAB, the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (NIHDI) and the health insurance funds. Administrative procedures are also to be simplified.
“Only through good cooperation between all the different stakeholders can we ensure that we give people every opportunity to become active in society again. Something that benefits them, and society as a whole,” stated minister Vandenbroucke.
The intention was for both ministers to sign the agreement on Friday afternoon, but the extension of the core cabinet meeting disrupted that plan.
#FlandersNewsService | Illustration © PHOTO PRESSASSOCIATION
Related news
