Background information

This measure has been announced as part of package of emergency packages adopted to combat the effects of the COVID-19 crisis. Following a first package of emergency measures released on 17 March 2020, a second package was released on 20 May 2020.

This is an education and training measures, designed to help workers who have lost their job due to the COVID-19 crisis to move into new work. Specifically, the measure aims to help people move into profitable or growing sectors by providing employment advice and support from local career services (often provided via municipalities), educational institutions, and sectoral schooling and development funds (O&O fondsen).

Content of measure

The measure not only hopes to help workers, but also solo self-employed people and workers with temporary or flexible employment contracts. Schooling will be provided through a variety of media, making use of online education approaches. To create awareness of the availability of this programme, the government will launch a promotional campaign as well. The measure has been tied to the NOW and NOW 2.0 measures, where employers who make use of the NOW financing are also obliged to stimulate up and re-skilling of their employees. The measure will be implemented in July 2020 and run until the end of 2020. The measure has a budget of €50 million.

Use of measure

The free development advice that the government made available through the NL Leert Door scheme met a great need. From 1 August, people could request a short-term trajectory from a career counsellor to gain insight into the labour market opportunities that are available to them in this recession. The maximum number of registrations was reached much faster than expected.

Within one month, 22,000 people registered. With this amount, the measure reached the limit of the number of counselling sessions that the government can pay for.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Applies to all workers	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Other social actors (e.g. NGOs) Local / regional government Public employment service	Local funds National funds Regional funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

The national government initiated this measure, together with the Association for Dutch Municipalities (VNG), and other social partners, specifically, Divosa. Divosa is an association of municipal government directors or managers who work in the social policy domains. Divosa, the VNG, and national government developed this measure, while at the regional and local levels, sectoral education funds will also be involved in re-skilling.

Views and reactions

Given their involvement in developing this measure, presumably the social partners are satisfied with the collaboration and development of such a measure.

Sources

• 20 May 2020: Kamerbrief 20 mei 2020: Noodpakket 2.0 (www.rijksoverheid.nl)
• 11 May 2021: SLIM: subsidieregeling leren en ontwikkelen in het mkb (www.uitvoeringvanbeleidszw.nl)