Sometimes a reintegration process with an employee does not run smoothly or even comes to a standstill, or you or the employee do not agree with the advice of the company doctor which prevents you from reintegrating. What can you do? It is possible to request a second opinion or an expert opinion. But what is the difference? When do you apply it and which of the two do you choose?

An expert opinion or a second opinion: the differences

Expert opinion

The expert opinion (via the UWV) is intended to help reintegration get back on track when it is stagnating. This opinion can be requested by both the employer and the employee during absenteeism up to two years.

Second opinion

If an employee disagrees with the company doctor's advice, he or she can request a second opinion. A second opinion can be requested when an employee doubts the advice of the company doctor. The employee can then request a second opinion from another company doctor. The employee must submit a request via his or her own company doctor. A second opinion doctor must be employed by another occupational health and safety service or organization. A second opinion can only be requested by the employee, not by the employer or manager.

What are the financial implications?

When an employee requests an expert opinion from the UWV, the employee pays €100. If the employer does so, the costs are €400. For the second opinion, even though only the employee can request it, the employer does pay the costs. The party submitting the second opinion will send an invoice. This can vary per organization.

What does it mean for reintegration?

The purpose of an expert opinion is to resume the reintegration process together with the employee. Because the longer an employee cannot work, the more difficult it becomes to get back to work. An expert opinion from the UWV is not binding, but an advice. This means that an employer or an employee cannot oblige the other party to follow the advice.

If an employee requests a second opinion, this need not interrupt the reintegration process. However, the employee is obliged, based on the advice of the own company doctor, to make agreements with the employer and to comply with them. Incidentally, the own company doctor is not obliged to adopt the advice of the second opinion doctor. The company doctor does tell and motivate the employee whether he accepts the advice in its entirety, partially or not at all, and why.

How do you apply for it?

Knowing that and when it is possible to request an Expert Judgment or Second Opinion is a first step. Next comes the question: how do you do it?

Requesting expert opinion as an employer

As an employer, you can request the expert opinion through the UWV website. There is a form on this that you as an employer must fill out.

Requesting expert opinion as an employee

If an employee wants to request an expert opinion, they can also do so through the UWV website.

Requesting a second opinion as an employee

The employee can request a second opinion by making this known to the occupational physician he or she is in contact with. It also happens that the occupational health and safety service has a protocol for this. This can be checked with the occupational health and safety service.

In the table below, we list everything else for you.

	UWV expert opinion	Second opinion
Moment of application	If the reintegration process stagnates during the first two years of illness	When in doubt about the advice obtained for occupational health questions: issues of health problems in relation to work, often at an early stage of absenteeism.
Applicant	Employee and employer can apply.	Only the employee can request this through their own company doctor.
Executive	Insurance doctor or Occupational Assessor.	Company physician.
Paying party	Employee ( €100) or employer (€400).	Employer pays the costs incurred by the implementing party.

More information?

Do you want to know what Puls can mean for you when the reintegration process does not go smoothly? Take a look at our website or contact us. This can be done by phone, e-mail or contact form. We are happy to help you make the reintegration process as smooth as possible.