Vitality is an important element of sustainable employability. It contains a combination of energy and motivation. It is the responsibility of you and your employer to contribute to your vitality. Therefore, you can, if you have been employed for at least seven years, request two consecutive months vitality leave once every seven years to contribute to your vitality.
Additionally, employees who have been employed with the employer, for at least seven years before the date of commencement of employment, with the employer, will be able to apply for vitality leave for the first time after five years of employment with the employer. The usual seven years apply to any subsequent application for vitality leave. The aim here is that the vitality leave scheme can contribute more effectively to the vitality of employees who have been active and mobile in the labour market for a longer time.
An employees applying for vitality leave will take the initiative in entering into a dialogue with the employer regarding their motivation and how vitality leave will contribute to their vitality.
In the first month of your leave you will be paid 70% of your monthly income and in the second month you will be paid 60%. Your employer can opt to divide the equivalent of these percentages equally between the two months. Your pension accrual will continue in full during the period of the vitality leave.
To determine the number of service years in this scheme a previous period in which you worked as temporary staff included.
The reference date for calculating the seven year term is the date on which you start participating in this scheme.
If desired, in consultation with your employer you can extend the two months’ vitality leave using holiday hours or (un)paid leave, up to three consecutive months. You cannot apply for less than two months vitality leave.
If at any time you have less than seven years left before reaching the age of entitlement to state old-age state pension (AOW), vitality leave and the 80-80-100 scheme may not be taken concurrently. If you participate in the 80-80-100 scheme or if you participate in the former leave for seniors, you are not eligible for vitality leave. If you do not use the 80-80-100 scheme and take vitality leave in the period of seven years before reaching the age of entitlement to state old-age pension (AOW), your right to the 80-80-100 scheme will lapse.
You can apply for vitality leave more than once during the duration of your employment contract subject to the condition that the period of time between two periods of vitality leave is seven years (or more).
A different set-up for the vitality scheme can be chosen in individual cases, in consultation with the employer. This could include the possibility for employees to use part of their leave over and above the statutory minimum, for example. The eligibility criteria for the vitality leave scheme remain unchanged in such cases. Vitality leave can only be taken in time and cannot be converted into money.