Adjustments to NOW scheme

As UWV had not even opened its “digital NOW window” for business or the first adjustments to the Employment Bridging Emergency Fund scheme were released. All applications will be governed by the amended scheme.

Consequences in terms of dismissal permit applications

When an application to let staff go for commercial reasons is filed, this will lower the aggregate allowance to be collected by the employer in question. As the impact of such applications in terms of the level of the allowance had not been accurately worked up, this would have resulted in dismissal permit applications having fewer consequences than wage bill reductions, which was never the intention. In the event that an employer seeks permission to let a particular member of staff go for commercial reasons, this will result in the allowance being reduced by 50 percent more than would have been the case had the employer merely suspended its wage payments to the employee in question.

Adjustment of term for finalisation

The term for UWV for finalising its decision on the NOW applications it receives has been extended from 22 weeks to 52 weeks, in order to make it possible for UWV to check all applications and accompanying details. This having been said, UWV will still make every effort to ensure that the finalisation of the allowance as such will be seen to within the original term of 22 weeks.

Recipient bank account

UWV is not in a position to process NOW applications of which a foreign bank account number forms part. It is for this reason that employers whose withholding tax number has always been linked to a foreign bank account number are given an additional four weeks to advise UWV of a Dutch account number to which the NOW allowance is to be transferred.

The NOW scheme vs dismissal permit applications

The explanatory notes to the NOW scheme have been clarified where it concerns the fact that UWV will take the NOW scheme into account when processing dismissal permit applications. It will be up to the employer in its application for a permit to let staff go for commercial reasons to come up with duly substantiated arguments as to why its reliance on the NOW scheme will not enable it to avoid letting staff go.

The NOW scheme has additionally been provided with several tweaks of a technical nature.

Dutch version: Aanpassingen NOW