Do I accrue vacation pay during track 2?
- 05/04/2026
- Posted by: Rosalie Derksen
- Category: Uncategorized
If you’re in a track 2 reintegration program, you probably have many questions about your financial situation. One of the most frequently asked questions concerns the accrual of vacation pay during this period. This is understandable, as a track 2 reintegration program can last for months and affects various aspects of your employment conditions.
In this article, we answer all important questions about vacation pay during track 2 reintegration and provide you with clarity about your rights and obligations during this process.
What is track 2 reintegration and how does it work?
Track 2 reintegration is a guidance program that starts during your illness when returning to your current employer is not possible. The program focuses on finding new work outside your current organization and begins while your employment relationship still exists.
The program consists of three clear phases. In phase 1, orientation and preparation take place, including an intake, creating a personal profile, and a program plan. Phase 2 involves active labor market approach, where your search profile is determined and you start applying for jobs in a targeted manner. In phase 3, the program is completed with either a placement or the determination that this is not achievable.
It’s important to know that track 2 reintegration is not a consequence of terminating your employment. It’s a reintegration obligation during continued salary payment during illness. Around weeks 46-52, during the first-year evaluation, it’s assessed whether track 2 should be implemented, and there is no legal right to track 2 after 13 weeks of illness.
Do you accrue vacation pay during a track 2 program?
Yes, you accrue vacation pay during a track 2 program because your employment continues and your employer is obligated to continue paying your salary. Your employment law position remains unchanged as long as the track 2 program lasts.
You accrue this vacation pay according to the same rules as if you were working normally. The accrual occurs over the full salary you receive during the continued salary payment period. Your employer is obligated to continue paying your salary for a maximum of 104 weeks during illness, and during this period all your employment conditions remain in effect.
For vacation pay accrual, it makes no difference whether you’re in track 1 or track 2 reintegration. In both cases, your employment still exists and you receive salary from your employer. Vacation pay accrual only stops when your employment actually ends or when your employer’s salary continuation obligation expires.
What benefit do you receive during track 2 reintegration?
During track 2 reintegration, you don’t receive a benefit, but simply your salary from your employer. Your employer is obligated to continue paying your salary for a maximum of 104 weeks during illness, regardless of whether you’re in a reintegration program.
The amount of this salary is usually 70% of your last earned salary, unless your collective bargaining agreement or employment contract contains better conditions. Many employers supplement this to 100% of salary, especially in the first period of illness. This salary continuation is an employer obligation and has nothing to do with UWV benefits.
Only after the 104-week salary continuation period ends do you potentially qualify for a WIA benefit from UWV. For this benefit, you must have at least 35% wage loss due to your work limitation. The track 2 program helps your employer demonstrate that sufficient reintegration efforts have been made, which is important for the WIA assessment.
What are your rights and obligations in track 2?
During track 2 reintegration, you have the right to guidance toward new work and retention of your salary and employment conditions. At the same time, you have the obligation to actively participate in the reintegration program and make all reasonable efforts to find new work.
Your main rights are:
- Professional guidance by a certified reintegration specialist
- A personal program plan, tailored to your possibilities
- Retention of salary and all employment conditions during the program
- Privacy protection: medical information may not be included in reports
Your obligations include active participation in all appointments, keeping track of job application activities, and providing necessary information for reports. You also have your own documentation obligation, especially regarding job applications. This documentation later becomes part of the reintegration report for a potential WIA application.
It’s crucial to take your obligations seriously. UWV assesses afterward whether sufficient reintegration efforts have been made. If this proves insufficient, UWV can impose a salary sanction on your employer, which can strain the relationship.
How does track 2 differ from regular sick leave?
Track 2 reintegration differs from regular sick leave in that it’s specifically focused on external employment and provides intensive guidance. With regular sick leave, the focus is on recovery and return to your own workplace, while track 2 recognizes that this is not possible.
The biggest difference lies in the approach and objective:
- Regular sick leave focuses on recovery and return to the same position
- Track 2 accepts that return is not possible and seeks external alternatives
- With sick leave, the occupational physician determines when you can return to work
- With track 2, there’s active searching for suitable positions with other employers
The guidance is also organized differently. During regular sick leave, you primarily have contact with your occupational physician and possibly the occupational health service. In track 2, you receive intensive guidance from a specialized reintegration coach who functions as coach, networker, and trainer combined. This guidance is much more active and results-oriented than standard sick leave guidance.
Financially, the situation remains the same: in both cases you receive salary from your employer and accrue vacation pay. The difference lies in the expectations and the intensity of guidance toward a solution.
What happens after your track 2 program ends?
After your track 2 program ends, there are three possible outcomes: a successful placement with a new employer, no placement but sufficient efforts made, or insufficient efforts creating risks for your employer.
With a successful placement, you start with your new employer and your employment with your previous employer ends. Your accrued vacation pay is then paid out according to normal procedures. If no placement is found but sufficient efforts have been made, your sick leave continues until the 104 weeks are reached.
Around weeks 88-93, a WIA application is submitted to UWV. The track 2 program and all reports then become part of the assessment. A good final report must demonstrate that all realistic options have been utilized and that efforts have been serious and consistent. A program without placement can still be sufficient for UWV if the efforts are well documented.
The financial consequences for your employer can be significant. With a WGA benefit, employers can remain financially responsible for up to 10 years. Therefore, it’s important for all parties that the track 2 program is executed professionally, with good track 2 reintegration guidance.
How UFIND helps with track 2 reintegration
UFIND offers specialized track 2 reintegration guidance with a unique approach that goes beyond traditional methods. We combine personal coaching with practical labor market knowledge to maximize the chances of successful external placement.
Our approach is characterized by:
- Customized programs, tailored to your unique situation and possibilities
- One dedicated coach who guides the entire program for optimal continuity
- ACT methodology to transform limiting thoughts into positive action
- Compact, intensive programs that maintain energy and momentum
- Expertise in complex situations where others give up
We believe that every person is unique and therefore deserves a personal approach. Our specialists have more than 15 years of experience and combine reintegration expertise with recruitment knowledge. This means we can not only coach but also actually create and utilize opportunities in the labor market.
Would you like to know more about how we can help you with track 2 reintegration? Contact us for a no-obligation conversation about your situation and possibilities.