uu77
Last amended on 14 December 2024
agreed between the Executive Board (College van Bestuur) and the Trade Unions for the public and education sectors (Centrales voor overheids- en onderwijspersoneel)
Last amended on 14 December 2024
This Social Plan will be extended on 1 January 2025 until 1 January 2026 or until such earlier time as agreed at Collective Labour Agreement (CAO) level in the form of a Social Plan for the sector or other arrangements between the Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) and trade unions
The university staff complement is constantly changing. Ideally, this happens in a more or less predictable manner. Based on strategic planning, staff can be managed in a way that can prevent problems with the staff complement. However, it is not always possible to avoid problems in this way. A loss of demand for education, financing for research, or other tasks may lead to positions becoming superfluous. In extreme cases, the employee concerned may become redundant. An employee may become redundant because of the dissolution of their position or a reduction in the number of interchangeable positions. Redundancy may impact the legal status of the employee. Redundancy of the employee may occur as a result of various organisational changes. This Social Plan applies not just to reorganisations as referred to in chapter 9 of the CAO, but also to other organisational changes as set out in the uu77 Guidelines for Organisational Changes and Employee Participation that involve the dissolution of positions / redundancies.
The basic principle for parties is to prevent compulsory redundancies wherever possible. Therefore, the Social Plan will initially focus on assistance with reintegrating into the workforce. uu77 will support the redundant employee in acquiring a suitable position within or outside of the university. The employee is expected to take a constructive, active and flexible approach. In other words: uu77’s effort to keep the redundant staff member employed within or outside of the university and the employee’s corresponding constructive cooperation go hand in hand. Employer and employee will take into consideration the obligations as defined in Article 72a of the Unemployment Insurance Act (WW) and their further description in the guide Werkwijzer 72a WW.
The uu77 Redeployment and Vacancy Filling Scheme will apply accordingly. This scheme establishes that a redundant employee will be considered for an open position when it is deemed to be a suitable internal position.
The Social Plan is applicable to all uu77 employees who become redundant due to reorganisation, another organisational change or an everyday decision relating to a change in the organisation. That means this is not related to the way in which an organisational change is implemented. Also refer to the definitions in Chapter 3 in this regard.
The Social Plan does not apply when the employment contract with an employee ends for a different reason, such as on serious grounds (poor performance, problematic relationships, etc.), due to long-term occupational disability or on reaching the legal retirement age.
The Executive Board and the unions in the Local Council may declare the Social Plan applicable to specified positions and/or job categories when it appears that, for those specified positions and/or job categories, redundancy is a long-term prospect that cannot be resolved through natural turnover. In other words: the Executive Board and the unions may declare the ‘premobility’ phase applicable once it becomes clear that the position of one or more employees will be eliminated within the foreseeable future as a result of an already anticipated reorganisation, organisational change or dissolution of a position, but a formal decision has yet to be taken in this regard.
The Social Plan will already be declared applicable to the relevant specified positions and/or job categories, making the incumbents candidates for reassignment in the event of a vacancy. The purpose of this phase is to encourage the prevention of redundancy as much as possible in a timely and active manner through and including mobility-promoting measuring such as priority in relation to departures.
The Social Policy Framework, as included in the chapter on Reorganisations of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (NU), has been included and incorporated in this Social Plan. This means that in principle no additional social plan will be agreed to in the event of reorganisations. Agreements for additional social measures can be made with the trade unions in the Local Council.
If all or part of an organisational unit is transferred to a different employer, a comparison will be made between the different collective labour agreements and other employment conditions. On that basis, a new social plan will be established in the Local Council between the Executive Board and the trade unions as required. That new social plan will then replace this Social Plan and will, in any case, include compensation measures for the potentially less favourable employment conditions of the acquiring party.
This Social Plan is valid from 1 January 2020 until 1 January 2025 and will be extended on 1 January 2025 until 1 January 2026 or until such earlier time as agreed at CAO level in the form of a Social Plan for the sector or other arrangements between UNL and trade unions.
The term ‘employee’ is defined as someone with a permanent employment contract or a fixed-term employment contract that must be terminated prematurely due to organisational reasons.
An employee will be designated as a candidate for reassignment when they are redundant due to:
The redundant employee with a fixed-term employment contract is a candidate for reassignment for no longer than the remaining term of the employment contract.
A position is dissolved when:
The age breakdown principle means that the staff are grouped by age in categories of interchangeable positions. Subsequently, the staff complement is reduced in a way that ensures that the age profile ratios within the category of interchangeable positions and within an age group remain unchanged as much as possible before and after the organisational change. (Staatscourant 2015, 12685) apply here. Refer to the Annex to the Social Plan for further details. For a more detailed explanation, see the annex to this Social Plan at the bottom of this page.
Interchangeable positions are positions that are comparable in terms of content, required knowledge and skills, and required competences, and which are of an equivalent level, offering equivalent pay. The factors for determining interchangeability of positions need to be assessed in relation to each other. Whether positions are interchangeable can be determined by comparing job descriptions and what the employer can expect from their employee based on that description. The interchangeability of a position is therefore not determined by how an individual employee actually fulfils their position.
Reasonableness dictates that a certain transfer period, the time it takes to get familiar in a new position, is taken into consideration when determining the interchangeability of positions. The duration of a reasonable transfer period needs to be determined based on the complexity of the positions in question, for example.
A difference in the salary scale quickly indicates a difference in job level and, in turn, that the positions are not equivalent. If there is a difference in wages of one salary scale - assuming that the positions have been deemed to be comparable - a content-based assessment must take place to determine whether the positions are equivalent. The salary scale linked to a position is therefore the starting point for determining interchangeability, see .
The dissolution of a position or reduction of interchangeable positions. Serious impact on the legal status also includes a significant change to the position or transfer of the employee to a different position with substantially different duties and with a different salary level within the employee’s own or a different part of the organisation.
In accordance with the provisions in Article 9.12 CAO NU, a suitable (temporary) position is one that becomes available within the term of the search for suitable reassignment (see Section 5.2) and for which, in the employer’s opinion, the candidate for reassignment has the knowledge and skills required to effectively perform the work associated with the position.
The Dismissal Regulations define a suitable position as a position that matches the education, experience and capabilities of an employee (or one for which they can be made acceptable within a reasonable amount of time through education). In general, it will refer to positions that match the level of the activities that an employee performs, but that does not need to be the .
The suitability criteria for a vacant position include:
Additionally, an assessment will be made to establish whether the position can reasonably be assigned to the employee with regard to their personality, their circumstances and their prospects, unless compelling business interests do not allow for placement. If it is not immediately clear whether the candidate for reassignment can effectively perform in the position, an assessment will be made to establish whether the candidate can be retrained or given further training (at reasonable cost) to make them acceptable for the position within 12 months.
In the event that placement in a position of an equal level (with equal remuneration) is not an option, a position at one pay scale lower is also considered suitable when the vacant position matches the education, experience, and capabilities of the candidate for reassignment. A position that is one pay scale higher may also be considered suitable.
In the event of placement in a lower-paid position, the Loonsuppletieregeling (income supplement regulation) from Article 13 of the BWNU will be applied by analogy. The salary is supplemented by up to 100% of the original salary for the period that they would have qualified for WW (unemployment benefits) and/or BWNU payments, in which a minimum duration of 18 months is observed. The period for which the income supplement may be applied ends at the legal retirement age of employees aged 55 and over who have 12 or more years of (please refer to Article 1 of the BWNU). The income supplement is pensionable income. Please refer to Article 15 of the BWNU for the conditions. It can be accessed on . During the period of the income supplementation as well as afterwards, uu77 and the employee will continue to search for a position for the employee with remuneration at the original level.
Vacant temporary positions are also considered suitable when the vacant position matches the education, experience and capabilities of the candidate for reassignment. In consideration of Article 9, paragraph 1b of the , it is not deemed a suitable position if the duration of the temporary activities is 26 weeks or less unless there is the prospect of an extension, causing the total duration to be over 26 weeks.
In the event of a suitable temporary position where the temporary activities have a duration of between 6 months and 12 months, the candidate for reassignment will be assigned to that temporary position. If the placement is not continued after a period of 12 months at most, the employment protection period or the duration of the search for suitable reassignment will be extended by the duration of the activities, taking into account the number of hours worked in the temporary position. An example is included in the Annex to this Social Plan.
In the event of a suitable temporary position where the temporary activities have a duration of over 12 months, then the candidate for reassignment will be reassigned to the position and the status of candidate for reassignment will be rescinded. Another redundancy may occur for business economic reasons if no other suitable activities are available at the end of this temporary reassignment. In that circumstance, the employment protection period and notice period will apply again. Chapter 5 of this Social Plan then applies.
If the weekly working hours of the vacant position are no more than 4 hours more or less than the current weekly working hours of the candidate for reassignment, then the position is considered suitable. The vacancy holder and the candidate for reassignment need to agree on the weekly working hours of the vacant position. In the event of placement in a position where the weekly working hours are reduced by a maximum of 4 hours, the Income Supplement Regulation from Article 13 BWNU is applied by analogy. The Income Supplement Regulation will supplement the salary to 100% of the original salary for the period that they would have qualified for WW and/or BWNU benefits, observing a minimum duration of 18 months. For employees aged 55 and over who have 12 or more years of , the period for which the income supplement may be received ends at the legal retirement age. The income supplement is pensionable income. Please refer to Article 13 BWNU for the conditions, available at . During the period of income supplementation as well as afterwards, uu77 and the employee will continue to search for a position for the employee with weekly working hours at the original level.
In the event of acceptance of a position where the weekly working hours are reduced by over 4 hours, a claim can be made for WW and/or BWNU benefits insofar as the requirements set out in those regulations are fulfilled.
A position with a remuneration of two or more scales lower can be considered an acceptable position. A position with weekly working hours of over 4 hours less can also be considered an acceptable position. This pertains to a position that does not fall under the formal definition of ‘suitable position’, but one that the candidate for reassignment is willing to fulfil. A position that is (significantly) below the level of the original position is considered an acceptable position in any case where the candidate for reassignment has previous experience with the work activities in this position. A consideration needs to be made regarding whether it is reasonable to offer this position to the candidate for reassignment and whether it can reasonably be asked of the candidate for reassignment to accept the offered position. A consultation will take place between the employer and the candidate for reassignment in this regard.
Upon acceptance of a lower-paid position, the Income Supplement Regulation from Article 13 BWNU will be applied (by analogy). The Income Supplement Regulation will supplement the salary to 100% of the original salary for the period that they would have qualified for WW and/or BWNU benefits, observing a minimum duration of 18 months. For employees aged 55 and over who have 12 or more years of , the period for which the income supplement may be received ends at the legal retirement age. The income supplement is pensionable income. Please refer to Article 15 BWNU for the conditions, available at .
In the event of acceptance of a position where the weekly working hours are reduced by over 4 hours, a claim can be made for WW and/or BWNU benefits insofar as the requirements set out in those regulations are fulfilled.
In the event of an organisational change that impacts the legal status, a comparison between the old organisational structure and the new organisational structure will first be used to illustrate the impact on the staff complement.
The procedure and the safeguards that are in place for a subsequent reassignment procedure are included in the Annex to this Social Plan. Depending on the extent of the organisational change and its consequences, a personnel plan will be established. A schematic overview is also included in the Annex.
When the redundant employee is considered a candidate for reassignment, the following provisions apply in relation to the employment protection period and the search for suitable reassignment. The Redeployment and Vacancy Filling Scheme applies accordingly.
uu77 will not terminate the employment contract of a candidate for reassignment during the employment protection period of 3 months. This period will be 8 months for an employee who has more than 15 years of service upon commencement of the employment protection period and is no more than 5 years away from the legal retirement age.
The employment protection period will commence on the first day of the month following the month in which the redundant employee was notified in writing of their potential dismissal and their status as a candidate for reassignment. A notice period of 3 months will be observed after the expiry of the employment protection period. A notice period of 4 months will apply to an employee who is being dismissed due to a reorganisation and who has at least 15 years of service with the employer upon commencement of the notice period.
If, in the opinion of the occupational health officer, the candidate for reassignment cannot realistically participate fully in the search for suitable reassignment, the duration of the search for suitable reassignment will be suspended for the length of the illness on the understanding that in any case the search for suitable reassignment will cease on the day on which the obligation for continued payment of wages during illness ceases.
If the candidate for reassignment has a fixed-term contract, the duration of the search for suitable reassignment will never exceed the end date included in the employment contract.
During the employment protection period and the notice period (see 5.1) up until the termination of the employment contract, the possibilities for reassignment to suitable activities within and/or outside of the university will be carefully studied for the candidate for reassignment.
The search for suitable reassignment is given form and content in a collaboration in which the candidate for reassignment commits to and takes responsibility for active participation. uu77 will ensure there is active support for the candidate for reassignment. The employee will be entitled to a competitive budget for professional support with the transition from one job to another. At uu77, this support is provided by Radboud Werk-naar-Werk. The HR advisor involved is tasked with supporting the candidate for reassignment. The objective is to guide the candidate for reassignment to a new job within or outside of uu77.
The first step in the search for suitable reassignment is an intake interview with the HR advisor and HR’s Radboud Werk-naar-Werk, as soon as possible but no later than three weeks after the date on which the redundant employee was given candidate for reassignment status. After that, an individual guidance plan will be established by all parties. It will include matters such as education, engagement of external experts, individual career advice, job interview training and outplacement. The discussion will also cover any other activities that the employee could perform, and to what extent, in order to promote the chances of reassignment. Given the exemption from activities set out in the CAO, in principle, this cannot include the employee’s current activities. An exception may be made for reasonable mutual arrangements for the completion of an external project. During the search for suitable reassignment, progress will be monitored, recorded and regularly discussed by the HR advisor with all those involved.
If the candidate for reassignment, in the opinion of the employer, does not sufficiently cooperate in relation to their own employability and/or refuses to accept a suitable position, their entitlement to the search for suitable reassignment and other provisions under this Social Plan will expire and the employment can be immediately terminated with observance of the notice period. If the employee does not agree with the decision by the employer, they can object in accordance with the Regulations on Employee Disputes of uu77 (see also Chapter 11).
The candidate for reassignment will be considered by the vacancy holder for a particular vacancy if, in the opinion of the HR advisor and/or Radboud Werk-naar-Werk, the vacancy could be considered a suitable position. The vacancy holder will meet with the relevant candidate for reassignment to determine, in light of the content and requirements of the position, whether the candidate can effectively perform in the vacant position, considering their education, experience and capabilities. If suitability is not immediately clear, the vacancy holder will also assess whether retraining or additional training may result in suitability for the position within 12 months. The candidate for reassignment is required to accept the invitation for an interview.
Where there are multiple candidates for reassignment, the most acceptable candidate will have priority. If multiple candidates for reassignment are equally acceptable, then the candidate whose search for suitable reassignment has the earliest end date will be reassigned. If the candidate for reassignment is not employed in the suitable position, the vacancy holder will need to provide a satisfactory and written justification.
If (in principle) there is a suitable vacant position within uu77, then the candidate for reassignment will therefore be considered for it. The candidate for reassignment is not an applicant who can be rejected, but a candidate who can only be rejected if it has been established that the vacant position is not suitable (see the definition of Suitable Position). On the other hand, the candidate for reassignment needs to be suitably employable and sufficiently acceptable for a position within uu77.
If that is not the case, then the primary or exclusive focus will be on finding solutions and/or new assignment options outside of uu77. The basis for this opinion may lie with personal characteristics, attitude/behaviour, specific personal limitations, employability that is too specific/narrow or medical reasons. The decision to focus primarily or exclusively on solutions outside of uu77 needs to be justified.
During the term of the search for suitable reassignment, the candidate for reassignment may be reasonably assigned other duties (this is not a temporary position) than they would usually perform. The basic principle is that the temporary duties cannot impede structural reassignment.
The other temporary duties must contribute to the candidate for reassignment maintaining or improving their position in the labour market or enhancing their chances of reassignment. Finding another job remains the main priority. The temporary engagement in other duties will suspend the employment protection period or duration of the search for suitable reassignment for the duration of those duties, taking into account the number of hours for which these temporary duties are performed. During the period that the candidate for reassignment engages in other temporary duties, they will be exempt from performing those activities for a reasonable amount of their weekly working hours to allow them to engage in activities relating to reassignment. The extent will be determined in consultation between the employer and the candidate for reassignment and recorded in writing in the individual guidance plan.
If it is reasonably unclear in advance whether a position is suitable or not, a trial placement in the position can be undertaken for a maximum of 12 months, in accordance with Article 9.11, paragraph 2 of the CAO NU, in addition to a development assessment, for example. The supervisor of the acquiring unit and the candidate for reassignment will establish clear written agreements in advance about the areas in which the performance of the candidate for reassignment will be assessed. Where required, this will include written agreements about retraining or further training in order to result in suitability for the position within a year. If, after the trial placement, the supervisor of the acquiring unit is of the opinion that the position is not a suitable one, the candidate for reassignment will be informed about the decision and the reasoning behind it in writing. The search for suitable reassignment will be resumed and, in accordance with Article 9.11, paragraph 4 of the CAO NU, the employment protection period and duration of the search for suitable reassignment will be extended by the duration of the activities, taking into account the number of hours worked in the temporary position.
The candidate for reassignment may be seconded outside uu77 during the period of the search for suitable reassignment. The secondment will require the approval of the candidate for reassignment. The agreements with the candidate for reassignment will be recorded in writing, including in the individual guidance plan. If the secondment ends or is not converted into a new employment contract elsewhere, the search for suitable reassignment will be resumed and, in accordance with Article 9.11, paragraph 4 of the CAO NU, the employment protection period and duration of the search for suitable reassignment will be extended by the duration of the activities, taking into account the number of hours worked in the temporary position.
The candidate for reassignment who reaches the legal retirement age within the period of the search for suitable reassignment and the notice period will retain their employment contract until that date. A search for suitable reassignment will not be conducted if they do not wish it, as long as the person concerned will continue to perform activities for at least 50% of the original working hours during the period in question. These may be activities as referred to in Section 5.4 (temporary performance of other reasonably assigned duties). If these activities are not available, then the search for suitable reassignment still needs to take place.
The above also applies to a candidate for reassignment who has provided notification in writing that they intend to use the ABP elective pension plan (ABP Keuzepensioen) within the indicated period for the full extent of the employment.
As always, every candidate for reassignment may be assisted in the representation of their interests during contact with uu77. Additionally, an employee may contact the Department of Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Service (AMD) for occupational social services. Costs for legal assistance for the purposes of a termination agreement will be reimbursed up to a maximum amount of €1,500 excl. VAT.
A candidate for reassignment who voluntarily resigns, in accordance with the provisions of Article 9.9 CAO, will qualify for a mobility allowance provided that they do not generate WW/BWNU benefit obligations for the university.
The conditions to qualify are:
No notice period applies to the voluntary resignation.
The amount of the mobility allowance (see table below) depends on:
The mobility allowance is calculated using the table below, but will never amount to more than the total gross amount that the employee would have received as a salary during the remainder of the employment if they had not voluntarily resigned. Furthermore, the mobility allowance will not exceed legal maximum levels.
The employment protection period of 3 months plus the notice period of 3 months generally results in a maximum mobility allowance of 6 months’ salary. A notice period of 4 months will apply to an employee who is being dismissed due to a reorganisation or organisational change and who has at least 15 years of service with the employer upon commencement of the notice period. In that case, the maximum mobility allowance is 7 months’ salary. In addition, the employment protection period is 8 months for an employee who has more than 15 years of service and is no more than 5 years away from the legal retirement age. In that case, this means that the mobility allowance is up to 12 months’ salary.
| Number of years of service (horizontal) | ||||||||||||
| Month of the employment protection/notice period (vertical) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 or more |
| 1st | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 |
| 2nd | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| 3rd | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
| 4th | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| 5th | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| 6th | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| 7th | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| 8th | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| 9th | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 10th | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 11th | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 12th | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
The employee for whom reassignment within the term of the search for suitable reassignment was not successful will be eligible for a WW/BWNU benefit insofar as the requirements set out in those regulations are fulfilled. For the period that they receive a WW and/or BWNU benefit, the employee will be considered an internal candidate for vacancies at uu77.
If an unemployed employee accepts a job at a lower level of pay, then the Income Supplement Regulation from Article 13 BWNU will be applied. The Income Supplement Regulation will supplement the salary to 100% of the original salary for the period that they would have qualified for WW and/or BWNU benefits. For former employees aged 55 and over who have 12 or more years of service, the period for which the income supplement may be received ends upon reaching the legal retirement age. The income supplement is pensionable income. Please refer to Article 13 BWNU for the conditions, available at .
If so requested by the candidate for reassignment, the formal notice period will not apply to that person.
If the candidate for reassignment accepts a job with a new employer that includes a probationary period, then, upon request, they will be granted unpaid leave for the duration of that probationary period. During this unpaid leave, the social security and pension contributions will be borne by uu77. If the employee concerned is dismissed by their new employer during the probationary period (or the employee resigns during the probationary period in the event that continuation of that employment cannot be reasonably expected), the search for suitable reassignment will be extended by the duration of the probationary period.
Additionally, there may be other circumstances where granting unpaid leave is a useful option, such as when a candidate for reassignment wants to start their own business. Agreements about the extent of this leave will be made in all reasonableness and fairness.
In addition to granting extraordinary leave, the support can include advice about the approach, drafting a business plan or providing orders in the start-up phase.
Based on assignments and meetings with a career advisor, the candidate for reassignment works towards the next step in their career. By using (professional) instruments and interventions, the candidate will be guided in the creation of a realistic personal and search profile, matching their education, experience and capabilities. The candidate for reassignment will gain tools to efficiently approach the labour market in a targeted way. The programme will be shaped in a collaboration in which the candidate for reassignment commits to and is responsible for active participation and uu77 commits to and is responsible for active support of the candidate for reassignment. A concrete action plan will be created by the candidate for reassignment, in consultation with the career advisor, to conclude the process.
In certain cases, outplacement may be a useful additional provision. It will be addressed at the start of the search for suitable reassignment in the intake interview with the HR advisor and the mobility coordinator and included in the individual guidance plan.
An outplacement office can assist the candidate for reassignment in finding a new position or starting their own business. The costs will be borne by uu77. The provisions in Chapter 10 of this Social Plan remain applicable to their full extent.
The employee concerned will temporarily work for a different employer, and uu77 will charge that employer the employee expenses. The employee will remain employed by uu77 and retains their legal status. The duration of the secondment will be determined on an individual basis, but will not exceed 12 months.
Costs for required retraining or further training in the context of a reassignment are fully borne by uu77, deducting the reimbursements provided by third parties.
The provisions in Chapter 10 of this Social Plan remain applicable to their full extent.
The candidate for reassignment who would have reached their 25-year, 40-year or 50-year service anniversary within 5 years of the end of the employment contract but before their legal retirement age is entitled to payment of a proportional anniversary bonus. This is a gross bonus from which payroll tax and contributions will be deducted.
If the travel expenses for job interviews are not reimbursed, uu77 will reimburse those costs. The reimbursement is based on the tariffs for second-class travel by public transport. If a car was used for travelling, a tax-free allowance of €0.23 per kilometre applies.
An employee who, as a result of accepting a position outside of uu77, is required to move (which prevents or terminates eligibility for unemployment benefits) will be awarded a moving expense reimbursement from which reimbursements by third parties will be deducted. The reimbursement is in accordance with the Travel and Moving Expenses Regulations of uu77.
Any repayment obligation relating to reimbursement for study facilities, moving expenses or paid parental leave taken will lapse.
In exceptional circumstances, the Executive Board can, in reasonableness and fairness, make additional or alternative agreements with the employee. These may relate to support for starting their own business (startup allowance or support facilities) or compensation for pension damages, insofar as this does not result in fiscal levies for uu77, such as an Early Retirement Scheme (RVU) levy.
If a candidate for reassignment is able and willing to transfer to another university, the BWNU entitlements may pose an obstacle to employment at the other university. In that case, uu77 will commit to making reasonable and fair (financial) agreements with the other university to make the intended employment possible.
Where applicable, a dismissed employee will be referred to the cross-border employee regulation in Article 11 BWNU. This article establishes that there is a benefit entitlement equal to the WW and BWNU if the employee concerned does not qualify for Dutch WW benefits and/or regular BWNU benefits exclusively because they live outside of the Netherlands.
Article 11 BWNU applies to those who:
Any transition and/or employability expenses to be incurred by uu77 that arise from this Social Plan and that aim to contribute to broader employability of the employee in the labour market will be deducted from the transition payment as referred to in Article 7:673 of the Dutch Civil Code. The transition and/or employability expenses will be deducted in accordance with the provisions of the Decree on Conditions for Deduction of Transition Payment Expenses (Besluit voorwaarden in mindering te brengen kosten op transitievergoeding) (Official Gazette 2015, no. 171, last amended by decree of 11 June 2020, Official Gazette 2020, no. 188).
This means that
During the Local Council on 2 October 2015, the Executive Board and the unions agreed that expenses for internal training, for internal career advice and coaching, and for internal Werk-naar-Werk guidance will not in any case be deducted from the transition payment. Further information about the transition payment and which expenses will be deducted from it can be found on Radboudnet under Employment Conditions.
The transition payment is not payable to the employee whose permanent employment contract is ended or whose temporary employment contract is not extended when it expires due to business economic reasons and who claims a subsequent BWNU benefit as referred to in Article 6 BWNU 2020. If the employee waives the right to this subsequent BWNU benefit in writing prior to the dismissal, then this employee is still entitled to the transition payment.
Where a candidate for reassignment does not agree with a decision by uu77 because they consider it damaging to their position as employee, they can turn directly to the district court (kantonrechter). They can also petition the Executive Board in writing to handle a dispute beforehand. This must be done no later than 6 weeks after the relevant decision was taken. The petition must be sent to:
Executive Board
P.O. Box 9102
6500 HC Nijmegen
If application of the provisions in this Social Plan will lead to an unreasonable and/or unfair situation for the candidate for reassignment, the Executive Board will deviate from the Social Plan in a positive way, regardless of whether this is at the request of the employee concerned.
Where there is doubt about the content and provisions in this Social Plan, representatives from the Local Council will make a decision on the interpretation and its intention.
Any party involved with this Social Plan can propose and submit changes and/or additions to this Social Plan when required in response to developments in laws and regulations and/or developments in general socioeconomic circumstances.
The parties agree to evaluate the effectiveness of this Social Plan in 2025 and to determine whether changes and/or additions to this Social Plan are desirable.
As agreed on 14 December 2024 and signed on 17 December 2025
The Executive Board of the Radboud University Nijmegen,
Trade unions for the public and education sectors, on behalf of,
prof. dr. D.H.J. Wigboldus
President
G. Kooistra
FNV Overheid
J.W. Lefebre
FBZ
Prof. Dr. A. Lagendijk
AOb
ing. M.A.H. van Gessel
CNV