Apply for paid parental leave at UWV

Apply for paid parental leave at UWV

As of August 2, 2022, employees will have the option of receiving benefits during 9 of the 26 weeks of parental leave. For this, the employer must submit an application to the UWV, after which the agency pays the benefit to the employer.

Legally, parental leave is currently unpaid. The Paid Parental Leave Act (WBO) (article) ensures that as of August 2, 2022, an employee can take nine weeks of parental leave for each child with benefit from UWV, provided that this leave falls within the child's first year of life. The same system applies to the benefit as to other benefits based on the Work and Care Act (WAZO): in principle, the employer applies for the benefit, although the UWV also corresponds with the employee about the application in order to reduce the risk of abuse of the scheme. The employer submits the application via Verzuimmelder or Digipoort, or with the form 'Application for WAZO benefit' on uwv.nl.

Employer pays benefit to employee

For 'regular' employees, the benefit amounts to 70% of their daily wage, but no more than 70% of the maximum daily wage. The maximum daily wage is currently € 228.76. For employees not insured under the Sickness Benefits Act, such as director-major shareholders, the benefit amounts to 70% of the statutory minimum wage in proportion to the duration of employment.
The UWV pays the benefit to the employer, unless at the time of application the employer chooses to have the benefit transferred directly to the employee. The employer simply continues to pay the wages, taking the benefit amount as a starting point. The employer may supplement the benefit to the normal wage, but the law does not require this. The CAO or an own scheme may stipulate otherwise.

A maximum of three applications for benefit

The application for benefit is possible after the first use of paid parental leave and up to 15 months after the birth or taking in of the child. The UWV only establishes the entitlement to, the amount and the maximum duration of the benefit once. The UWV pays the benefit after the leave has been taken. For leave taken after the first application, the employer can request further payment of the benefit no more than twice.
With a few exceptions, no written documentation is required with the application. For example, for uninsured employees, the employer attaches the employment contract. Furthermore, it is good to know that the application must be for whole weeks. The leave can be spread flexibly. The employee consults with the employer about the dates on which he takes the leave.

Source: HR Rendement