care leave
Employees and brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren, housemates and acquaintances are entitled to care leave. For example, to provide necessary care to their sick child, partner or parent. Or to support them if they are in need. There are two serents: short-term and long-term care leave. Read here everything you need to know about care leave...
You can get short-term and long-term care leave for people in your area who are sick or in need of care. It's about:
- children, partner, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, brothers and sisters (second-degree blood relatives);
- others who are part of your household (for example, an aunt who lives at home);
- acquaintances (someone with whom you have a social relationship. For example, parents-in-law, a neighbor or a friend. The relationship must be such that it is plausible that you must provide the care). The condition is that you are the only one who can provide care for the sick person.
If your child has become ill, you are entitled to short-term care leave. It can be about:
- your own child or child of a spouse/registered partner, your adopted child. Also a child of the partner you live with or your foster child (if this child lives at the same address according to the Municipal Personal Records Database).
If you want to care for a sick person close to you, you are entitled to short-term care leave. The condition is that the sick person needs care. And given the specific circumstances of the case, you are the only one who can provide care for the sick. For example, you can usually not take short-term care leave for someone who is in hospital. Because the sick person is already receiving care.
On the first day of illness, you can take emergency leave and other short-term absenteeism leave for this loved one in your area. For example, for a child who suddenly became ill at school and that you have to pick up. Emergency leave and other short-term absenteeism leave are, among other things, for sudden situations that you must resolve immediately.
Your entitlement to short-term care leave is twice the number of working hours per week within 12 months. It concerns the working hours that have been agreed in the employment contract.
During the short-term care leave, your employer will continue to pay at least 70% of your salary. If that is less than the minimum wage, you will receive the minimum wage. Other agreements may have been made in an applicable collective labor agreement.
If you want to care for someone close to you who is life-threateningly ill, you are entitled to long-term care leave. You can also request long-term care leave if someone close to you is ill or in need of care for a longer period of time. The condition is that the care is necessary and that you are the only one who can provide this care.
You can take up to 6 times your working hours per week on long-term care leave in 12 months. The collective labor agreement may contain different rules about care leave.
Your employer does not have to pay your salary for the hours that you have long-term care leave. A decrease in your income can have consequences for, for example, your pension. You may be eligible for (higher) income-related contributions or allowances, such as childcare allowance, healthcare allowance or rent allowance.
Short-term leave starts at the time when you report it to your employer. Are you unable to report the leave in advance due to the circumstances? Then you should do this as soon as possible.
You can request long-term care leave in writing from your employer. You do this at least 2 weeks before you want to take the leave. Your employer may ask you for information to assess whether you are entitled to leave. This can be, for example, a doctor's statement.