Wage dispensation for employment of disabled workers

Do you want to hire an employee in the Netherlands who receives a Wajong benefit or an IVA-benefit? In some cases you are allowed to pay less than the minimum wage. You can apply for temporary wage dispensation.

When do you qualify?

You are eligible for this temporary wage dispensation (in Dutch) if the employee’s occupational disability means their productivity is lower than that of other employees. You can use this wage dispensation facility for 6 months to at most 5 years.

The employee must receive a Wajong benefit under the Invalidity Insurance (Young Disabled Persons) Act (Wajong Act). Or the employee receives an IVA-benefit under the Work and Income (Capacity for Work) Act and wants to reintegrate. Please note that this scheme is temporary for employees receiving an IVA-benefit.

For the wage dispensation, an occupational disability employment counsellor has to verify claims of the employee's reduced productivity.

How to apply?

You can apply for wage dispensation for disabled employees (in Dutch) at any time during the year to the Employee Insurance Agency (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen, UWV).