Transfer to lighter work

A transfer to lighter work is only granted on the basis of a certificate for sick leave to pregnant women with health insurance who work under an employment contract, depending on their state of health. A doctor or midwife will issue a certificate for sick leave to an employed pregnant woman, stating the reason as ‘assignment to a job suitable for her state of health or transfer to lighter work’.

The benefit is only available to pregnant women until they receive the mother’s parental benefit, or for up to 182 days.

There are two options for release from work:

1. The employer has lighter work to offer.

• The benefit applies from day one. The Health Insurance Fund will compensate 100% of the difference in pay resulting from the transfer to lighter work.

2. The employer is not able to offer lighter work.

• The first day is not compensated, the Health Insurance Fund pays compensation from the second day. The compensation rate is 70% of the person’s average income of one calendar day of the previous calendar year.

Until the mother starts to receive the maternity benefit, the doctor issues a new certificate of incapacity for work every 30 calendar days. It is important that the certificate for sick leave for lighter work is terminated before the start date of the maternity leave, about which information can be obtained from the pregnant woman.

If the employer has lighter work to offer the worker, the employer will temporarily assign the employee to lighter work.

If the employer is unable to offer lighter work, the worker may temporarily refuse to perform their duties.

If the employee has more than one employer, and one of the employers has lighter work to offer and the other does not, the employer who is unable to offer lighter work can release the person from work and the other employer can offer lighter work.

If the start date of the first certificate for sick leave is on or before 14 May 2024, the Health Insurance Fund will pay a sickness benefit per calendar day at a rate equal to the difference between the person’s salary per calendar day during the period of lighter work and the average salary per calendar day in the previous calendar year. The salary is calculated based on data from the Tax and Customs Board.

The benefit is not paid if there is no change in pay compared to the previous calendar year.
If a person is released from work because there is no lighter work available, the Health Insurance Fund will pay the sickness benefit from the second day of the release. The compensation rate is 70% of the person’s average income of one calendar day of the previous calendar year.

If a pregnant person is given a job corresponding to their state of health and the start date of the first certificate for sick leave is from 15 May 2024 onwards, the Health Insurance Fund will reimburse the difference between the salary paid by the employer for the calendar month preceding the start of the first certificate for sick leave and the calendar month of the period of lighter work.

During the period of lighter work, the employer must pay the pregnant person at least 50% of their salary before the start of the certificate for sick leave for the transfer to lighter work.

If a pregnant person is released from work due to the absence of lighter work, the Health Insurance Fund will pay compensation from the second day at the rate of 70% of their salary before the start of the first certificate for sick leave.