Unemployment benefit (WW) for inclement weather

Do you run a business in the Netherlands and does inclement weather prevent your employees from working? You can apply for a temporary unemployment benefit (in Dutch) for them. This is possible during severe frost, snow, floods, slippery conditions, thaws or high water. You must continue to pay wages for a number of days, the so-called waiting days (wachtdagen). The number of waiting days (in Dutch) depends on the type of weather conditions.

It may be the case that this scheme does not apply to your sector. This information can be found in your collective labour agreement (CAO).

When do you qualify?

To apply for this temporary unemployment benefit a number of conditions apply (in Dutch), among others:

• You do everything possible to avoid unnecessary work stoppage.
• Work discontinued due to inclement weather does not fall under your standard business risk.
• Your employee cannot work for at least 5 hours a week. Does the employee have an employment contract for less than 10 hours a week? Then the employee must be unable to work for half of these hours.

How to apply?

When work stops due to inclement weather, you have to report this to the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV, in Dutch). You report this before 10.00 hours each day the work is stopped (in Dutch). Next, you should submit an application to UWV (in Dutch).