In the event you become unemployed, you may claim benefit in accordance with the Unemployment Act (Werkloosheidswet, WW). You should apply for benefits at the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). Expiry of a temporary contract is also considered a form of dismissal. You should fulfill the following requirements:
- You lose five hours or more of your work per week and you are no longer entitled to receive a salary for those hours. Even if you lose part of your job, you can apply for unemployment benefits. Overtime or temporary extra hours worked also count. Be aware: If you immediately get a new job for the same number of hours or more after you become unemployed, you will not be able to receive WW benefits to supplement your income - even if you receive less pay. You are immediately available for paid work. This entails that you should not make arrangements for unpaid activities if this does not allow you to start a new job immediately.
- You are immediately available for paid work. This entails that you should not make arrangements for unpaid activities if this does not allow you to start a new job immediately.
- You have worked at least 26 weeks in the last 36 weeks before you became unemployed. If you were ill, on maternity leave, or if took unpaid leave, a period before this is chosen in which you worked for at least 26 weeks.
- You did not get unemployed through your own fault.
The value of your benefit can be calculated as follows: from the salary you earnt in the year before you became unemployed, a ‘daily wage’ (dagloon) is calculated. This amount multiplied by 21.75 is your monthly unemployment benefit. The first two months of your unemployment, you receive 75 percent of this monthly benefit. After this, the amount is reduced to 70 percent.
