Who is responsible for paying track 2 reintegration costs?
- 28/05/2026
- Posted by: Rosalie Derksen
- Category: Geen onderdeel van een categorie
In the Netherlands, the employer is responsible for paying track 2 reintegration costs. This is a legal obligation under the Wet verbetering poortwachter (WvP), which requires employers to fund all reasonable reintegration efforts during the first two years of an employee’s sick leave. The sections below unpack exactly what that means in practice, including what happens when things go wrong and when outside help makes sense.
Who actually pays for track 2 reintegration in the Netherlands?
The employer pays for track 2 reintegration costs in the Netherlands. This obligation applies from the moment an employer and occupational health physician (bedrijfsarts) determine that returning to the current role is no longer realistic and that reintegration outside the organisation must be explored. There is no shared cost model with UWV during the trajectory itself.
This financial responsibility exists because the employer continues to pay the employee’s salary during sick leave, and reintegration is treated as part of that duty of care. Track 2 does not begin after the employment contract ends. It runs during the employment relationship, typically somewhere between week 46 and week 52, once the first-year evaluation makes clear that track 1 is no longer sufficient.
The costs involved include the reintegration bureau’s fees, any training or assessments required, and practical support such as job coaching or career counselling. All of these fall to the employer. UWV does not fund the trajectory as it runs, but it does assess the quality of the effort afterwards, which has significant financial consequences if the effort is found lacking.
What does track 2 reintegration legally require from employers?
Employers are legally required to make a genuine and timely effort to help a sick employee find suitable work outside the organisation when internal reintegration is no longer possible. This obligation is anchored in the Wet verbetering poortwachter and applies throughout the two-year period of continued salary payment.
In practical terms, this means:
- Reporting the employee’s sick leave to UWV around week 42
- Conducting a first-year evaluation around week 46 to 52 to assess whether track 2 should be started
- Engaging a recognised reintegration bureau if track 1 is no longer realistic
- Maintaining an up-to-date plan of action (plan van aanpak) that documents all steps taken
- Continuing efforts for as long as the employment contract exists and the 104-week period has not ended
There is no legal requirement to start track 2 after exactly 13 weeks. The timing depends on the employee’s situation and what the occupational health physician determines about their remaining capabilities. What matters is that track 2 is started in time, not too late to be meaningful before the WIA assessment at 104 weeks.
Can the employee be required to contribute to reintegration costs?
No, an employee cannot be required to contribute financially to track 2 reintegration costs. The legal obligation rests entirely with the employer. Asking an employee to share in these costs would conflict with the employer’s duty of care under Dutch employment and sick leave law.
What the employee is required to do is cooperate actively with the reintegration process. This includes attending appointments, engaging with the reintegration bureau, and making genuine efforts to find suitable work. Refusing to cooperate without valid reason can lead to consequences such as a suspension of salary payments. But cooperation is a behavioural obligation, not a financial one.
This distinction matters in practice. Employers sometimes feel frustrated when reintegration costs are high and the employee seems disengaged. That frustration is understandable, but the financial responsibility cannot be transferred. The right response is to address the cooperation issue through formal channels, not to reduce investment in the trajectory.
What happens if an employer refuses to pay for track 2 reintegration?
If an employer fails to invest adequately in track 2 reintegration, UWV can impose a loonsanctie, which is an extension of the salary payment obligation by up to 52 additional weeks beyond the standard two-year period. This is one of the most significant financial risks an employer faces during a long-term sick leave situation.
UWV does not actively monitor the trajectory as it unfolds. Instead, it evaluates the employer’s reintegration efforts at the point when the employee applies for a WIA benefit after 104 weeks. If UWV concludes that the employer did not make sufficient efforts, the loonsanctie follows. The employer then continues paying salary for up to a year longer than required, while also potentially facing legal disputes.
Refusing to engage a reintegration specialist, delaying the start of track 2 without good reason, or failing to document the process properly are the most common reasons employers receive a loonsanctie. The cost of that sanction almost always exceeds what a proper reintegration trajectory would have cost.
Are there any subsidies or UWV contributions available for reintegration costs?
UWV does not directly fund track 2 reintegration trajectories while they are running. The employer bears the full cost during the 104-week period. However, there are some financial instruments worth knowing about, particularly for smaller employers.
Employers who are eigenrisicodrager (self-insured for WGA risk) have a financial incentive to invest in reintegration, since they bear the long-term costs of partial disability benefits themselves. Some insurers that cover this risk offer support or partial reimbursement for reintegration services as part of their policy.
Small employers may also be eligible for certain subsidies or tax arrangements related to hiring or retaining workers with reduced capacity, though these are not direct reintegration subsidies. It is worth checking with a labour law advisor or your sector’s collective agreement, as some sectors have specific arrangements. In 2026, no universal UWV reintegration subsidy exists for track 2 during the sick leave period.
How much does a track 2 reintegration trajectory typically cost?
Track 2 reintegration costs in the Netherlands typically range from roughly €2,500 to €7,500 per trajectory, depending on the complexity of the case, the duration of the programme, and the services included. More complex situations or longer trajectories can exceed this range.
Factors that influence the total cost include:
- Duration of the programme: A compact, focused trajectory costs less than an open-ended one
- Level of coaching required: Employees who need intensive support or psychological guidance require more hours
- Labour market complexity: Finding suitable work in a competitive or specialised sector takes more effort
- Additional assessments: Competency tests, career assessments, or medical evaluations add to the total
When weighing these costs, it helps to compare them against the alternative. A loonsanctie of 52 additional weeks of salary payment for an employee earning an average wage can easily amount to €25,000 or more. Viewed through that lens, a well-run reintegration trajectory is a sound financial decision, not just a legal obligation.
When should an employer bring in an external reintegration specialist?
An employer should bring in an external reintegration specialist as soon as the occupational health physician indicates that returning to the current role is unlikely and that reintegration outside the organisation needs to be explored. In most cases, this becomes clear between week 46 and week 52, during the first-year evaluation.
Waiting too long is the most common mistake. If track 2 starts too late, there is not enough time to complete a meaningful trajectory before the WIA assessment at 104 weeks. UWV will take that into account when evaluating the employer’s efforts, and it rarely works in the employer’s favour.
External help is especially valuable when internal HR capacity is limited, when the employee’s situation is complex, or when previous attempts to support the employee have stalled. A specialist brings both the methodology and the labour market knowledge to move things forward in a structured way. You can learn more about what a structured approach looks like on our track 2 reintegration service page.
How UFIND Supports Employers with Track 2 Reintegration Costs and Obligations
We know that managing track 2 reintegration while running a business is genuinely demanding. The legal obligations are real, the financial stakes are high, and the human side of the situation adds another layer of complexity. That is exactly where we come in.
At UFIND, we work with employers in the MKB to take the complexity off their plate and give their employees a genuine path forward. Our approach is built on:
- Maatwerk programmes: Every trajectory is developed in consultation with the employer and employee, tailored to the individual’s capabilities and the labour market reality
- One dedicated coach: The same specialist guides the employee through the entire process, building trust and maintaining momentum
- ACT methodology: We use Acceptance and Commitment Training to help employees move past psychological barriers and take meaningful steps toward new work
- Recruitment experience: Our team understands the job market from the inside, which means we connect employees with realistic opportunities faster
- Documentation support: We help ensure the process is properly recorded, reducing the risk of a loonsanctie
We work with complex cases and welcome situations that other bureaus find difficult. If your employee’s situation does not fit a standard template, that is not a problem for us. It is where we do our best work.
If you are approaching the first-year evaluation or already know that track 2 needs to start, do not wait. Contact us to discuss your situation and find out how we can help you meet your obligations while genuinely supporting your employee’s next step.