Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Netherlands (Ratification: 1988)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report received in September 2004 regarding the various types of leave under the Work and Care Act and on the Government’s responsibilities for providing employment services and employee insurances under the Act on structure of the organization of implementation in the area of work and income (SUWI Act). The Government has also provided information on the Gatekeeper Improvement Act and on the Act on the extension of the obligation to continue paying wages in the event of sickness. In its comments, the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV) notes that the Work and Care Act and the SUWI Act might not be relevant to the application of the Convention. The FNV also notes that the report does not supply statistical data with regard to the rehabilitation of workers with disabilities. In this respect, the Committee asks the Government to describe in detail the national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment for workers with disabilities including practical data on the achievements in promoting employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the open labour market, in particular for women workers with disabilities, as required by Articles 2, 3 and 4 of the Convention. The Committee also refers to its observation under Convention No. 122.

[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2007.]