Welfare benefit: your rights and obligations

Do you receive a welfare benefit? Then you have certain rights and obligations.

Rights

How does Laborijn treat me?

You will receive accurate and complete information We will treat each other with courtesy and respect. You may bring someone with you to represent or support you. You can make a complaint if you feel that you have not been treated appropriately.

More information can be found op the page ‘I have a complaint’ (This page is in Dutch. To read it in another language select the text en click on ‘vertalen’ (which means translate). Select English or another available language). 

What can I expect from Laborijn?
  • Laborijn helps you look for work
  • Laborijn provides training or work experience placement to learn certain skills for a future job
  •  Laborijn ensures that you can participate in social daily life in a good way
Rights and benefits
  • Has Laborijn still not made a decision on your application for benefits after 4 weeks? And you have submitted all the requested information? Then you are entitled to an advance. More information about an advance can be found here (This page is in Dutch. To read it in another language select the text en click on ‘vertalen’ (which means translate). Select English or another available language)
     
  • Has Laborijn not yet made a decision on your application for benefits after 8 weeks? And has this term not been extended? Then you are entitled to a penalty. More information about a penalty can be found here (This page is in Dutch. To read it in another language select the text en click on ‘vertalen’ (which means translate). Select English or another available language)
     
  • You may lodge an objection and appeal against decisions of the municipality
    Click here for more information about objection and appeal (This page is in Dutch. To read it in another language select the text en click on ‘vertalen’ (which means translate). Select English or another available language)
     
  • As long as you are entitled to a benefit, Laborijn must pay the benefit on time. Click here to go to the payment schedule (This page is in Dutch. To read it in another language select the text en click on ‘vertalen’ (which means translate). Select English or another available language)
Right to privacy
  • You may view your file
  • You may have incorrect personal data adjusted
  • We handle your data carefully and confidentially. We ensure that your data is properly secured
  • We do not provide your data to third parties. We do provide your data to third parties if this is permitted on the basis of a legal task that we perform or if you have given permission

For more information, view our privacy statement (This page is in Dutch. To read it in another language select the text en click on ‘vertalen’ (which means translate). Select English or another available language). 

Obligations

Work obligation

You receive a benefit. The aim is to help you get back to work as quickly as possible, so that you no longer need benefits.

The obligations you have are laid down in law. These are:

Look for a job

  • You are trying to find paid work. You search for vacancies, apply and are registered with one or more employment agencies
  • You accept offered work. Even if this is not directly related to your education and work experience

Support to work

  • You participate in an investigation into your options for working
  • You participate in your reintegration. You adhere to the agreements you make with us about this. You use the facilities that we offer you
  • You help Laborijn to draw up an action plan for you to get back to work and you also implement this plan. You adhere to the agreements you make with Laborijn and accept the support offered by Laborijn

Attitude

  • You don't do things that make finding work more difficult.
    And you do your best when applying for jobs. You dress neatly, have a neat appearance and are on time for your job interview or at work
  • You may not misbehave against an employee of Laborijn

Does the labor obligation apply to everyone?

Are you (temporarily) unable to work? Or unable to participate in the coaching?
Then you can be exempted from certain employment obligations.
This means that you temporarily do not have to meet all labor obligations.

If you receive an exemption, we will always send you a letter about this.

Home visit

A home visit will be made to see if your situation matches our data. This is possible if you apply for benefits, but also if you are already receiving benefits. We only do this if there is no other way to verify information.

We can check the following information during the home visit:

  • your home situation. Do you live at the address you have provided, do you live alone or with others?
  • your income: do you have other income besides the benefit?
  •  your assets: do you have assets that are worth a lot of money?

How do I know that Laborijn employees come on a home visit?

We come by on working days without an appointment. Sometimes we also come to you for a home visit, because you cannot come by. In that situation we will make an appointment with you when we come by.

Do Laborijn employees identify themselves during a home visit?

The Laborijn employees who come to your home must identify themselves. They will show you a pass from Laborijn. If they do not do this themselves, you may ask for this proof of identity.

Can I refuse a home visit?

The employees of Laborijn will always ask you for permission. You also sign for this permission.

You have the right to refuse a home visit. If you do not cooperate, this may have consequences. In that case, it is not (properly) possible for us to determine the right to assistance. This may mean that we do not grant the payment or that we terminate the right to payment.

Identification requirement

When applying for your benefit, you must be able to prove who you are. You do this with a valid ID.

A valid ID is a valid passport a valid (European) identity card a valid aliens document

Please note: a driver's license is not a valid proof of identity.

Don't have a valid ID?

You can request a new proof of identity from your municipality. You must pay these costs yourself. Are you unable to pay these costs? Then we can provide an advance in exceptional cases.

Obligation to provide information

You must provide Laborijn with all information that is important for determining the right to benefit. Therefore, report changes in your financial, personal or living situation.

Sometimes you don't know if the information is important to you. You can find more information about which changes you need to report on the 'Submit changes' page.
Click here to go to 'Submit changes' (This page is in Dutch. To read it in another language select the text en click on ‘vertalen’ (which means translate). Select English or another available language). 

Not sure whether you should report a change? Please feel free to contact us.

Click here for our contact details (This page is in Dutch. To read it in another language  select the text en click on ‘vertalen’(which means translate). Select English or another available language). 

Language requirement

If you receive a benefit, you must have sufficient command of the Dutch language. We call this the language requirement. This is laid down in the Language Requirement Act. This law wants you to be able to have conversations in Dutch. And that you can write, read and understand simple texts.

A good command of the Dutch language will help you find work. In addition, the command of the Dutch language is important for being able to follow training.

What level of the Dutch language do I need to master?

You must master the Dutch language at level 1F. This is the level of pupils that must master at the end of group 8 of primary education in order to be able to make the transition to secondary education.

Level 1F is comparable to the civic integration exam A2 or level NT2.

How do I demonstrate that I have sufficient command of the Dutch language?

You can do this by demonstrating that you:

  • have 8 years of Dutch-language education
  • have passed the civic integration exam
  • have another document that demonstrates command of the Dutch language

Do you have no documents proving that you master the Dutch language? We may not be able to find out whether you meet the language requirement. You must then take a language test.

Language test

If you have to take a language test, you will receive an invitation by letter. This invitation contains the day, date and location of your language test.

The language test is administered by the Graafschap College and consists of 2 parts. Part 1 consists of reading and writing parts. Part 2 consists of listening, speaking and having conversations.

What if I don't pass the language test?

Are you failing? Then we will look together at how we can improve language proficiency. After six months, you take the language test again to measure whether your Dutch has improved and whether you have mastered language level 1F.

What if I do not meet the language requirement?

The language requirement is a best efforts obligation. This means that you must make an effort to master the Dutch language. If you make sufficient effort but do not meet the language requirement, this will not affect your benefit. Together we will look at how we can improve language proficiency.

Does everyone have to meet the language requirement?

Yes, but there are exceptions. For example, consider the following situations:

  • you can demonstrate that you master the Dutch language
  • you have reached retirement age
  • you are unable to learn or improve the Dutch language

If you do not need to improve the Dutch language, because a special situation applies. Then we will always send you a letter about this.

Compensation

You must be prepared to provide something in return for your benefit if Laborijn requests this. Laborijn actually asks you to give something back to society.

The consideration consists of unpaid work that is useful to society. This could be anything.

Examples of a consideration

For example, you can think of:

  • being a language buddy for those subject to an integration obligation
  • serve coffee in a community center
  • being a reading parent at school
  • giving extra attention to vulnerable or lonely people, in addition to the existing care that is available

And there is much more to think about! And you too can come up with ideas. Discuss with your consultant what kind of activities you could do and what is possible for you.

Does the return apply to everyone?

Yes, but there are exceptions. For example, consider the following situations:

  • you are completely and permanently incapacitated for work
  • you already volunteer
  • you provide informal care
  • you are a single parent. And you have the full care of a child up to 5 years

If you do not have to do something in return, we will always send you a letter about this.