There is frequently a disagreement between an employer and employee over a recovery notice. This is often the case once an employee is able to return to work his or her contract hours after a period of absence. Yet there is not always recovery once an employee is able to work his or her contract hours.

Who determines whether an employee is "better"?

The starting point in the law is that in the first instance an employee himself determines when there is illness and recovery. This can be overruled by an opinion of the company doctor or the UWV through an expert opinion.

According to the law, there is recovery when an employee returns to work fully at his or her own job according to the agreed contract hours. What is important here is that an employee has resumed all the tasks associated with his or her position. The employee must be able to do this at the same pace and with the same quality as before the start of the absence report. If this is not the case, there can be no question of a recovery report.

Sustainability test

Do you believe the employee is not yet able to fully perform his or her own work or are you concerned that employee may face a relapse? Then seek advice from the company doctor.

In consultation with the company doctor, a "sustainability test" may be used. Endurance tests may be applied if there is reasonable doubt as to whether the employee is permanently capable of performing the stipulated work. You, as the employer, can then test whether the employee can again perform all the tasks belonging to the job at the same pace and with the same quality. The employment experts at Puls can assist you with this.

Deployment of a wage-value determination

Another option for testing an employee's ability to fully perform their own work is a wage-value determination. In a wage-value determination, Occupational Assessor measures an employee's actual work performance in the workplace. The outcome of the measurement is compared to the standard maintained within an organization. The uniform method of wage value determination is used for this measurement.

Deployment of DIO (preventive)

If the employee is reported recovered and there is still doubt about the (sustainable) employability, the Sustainable Employability Survey of Puls can be used. In this way, both employer and employee will gain insight into the signs of possible imbalance, the cause and how the balance can be restored.

Want to know more?

Would you like to have your employee's employability tested by Puls? Then we would be happy to help you! Consult your case manager or advisor, or contact us at 088 032 2460 or servicedesk@pulsinzetbaarheid.nl.