Unemployment benefit after dismissal: am I entitled to it and when should I apply?
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Are you ill or being asked to resign? Have the consequences for salary and benefits assessed before you resign or sign a termination agreement.
Detailed explanation, checklist and sources
After dismissal by your employer, you may receive unemployment benefit if you meet the conditions. A dismissal letter or settlement agreement provides no guarantee: UWV also assesses your employment history, loss of hours, availability and the reason for dismissal. Apply for unemployment benefit from one week before until no later than one week after your first day of unemployment.
General information about Dutch law · Reviewed on · How we work
Your personal starting plan
Start with these three steps. Open the explanation that fits your situation and then complete your checklist.
- When are you entitled to unemployment benefit?
- Dismissal by your employer or with a settlement agreement
- Resigning yourself: usually no unemployment benefit
Go to your checklist and preparation
This starting plan helps you prepare and saves nothing automatically. It is not an individual legal assessment and does not monitor deadlines.
On this page
- When are you entitled to unemployment benefit?
- Dismissal by your employer or with a settlement agreement
- Resigning yourself: usually no unemployment benefit
- When and how do you apply for unemployment benefit?
- How do I track my WW application?
- How much is WW gross and net?
- How long does WW last?
- Your checklist
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources and further information
When are you entitled to unemployment benefit?
You must be insured against unemployment and immediately available for paid work. Usually, you must have worked at least 26 weeks in the last 36 weeks. Did you work an average of at least 10 hours per week? Then you must lose at least 5 hours per week and the related salary. If you worked fewer than 10 hours, loss of at least half of your hours and the associated salary is required. Illness, leave or previous work as a self-employed person may change the assessment. Have UWV assess your situation.
Dismissal by your employer or with a settlement agreement
UWV assesses whether you became unemployed through your own fault. In a settlement agreement, the employer's initiative and the absence of an urgent reason must be clear. The end date also matters: if the notice period is too short, unemployment benefit may start later than your salary stops. A promise from your employer does not bind UWV. In the event of dismissal with immediate effect, prompt legal assistance is important.
Resigning yourself: usually no unemployment benefit
If you resign yourself, you will generally not receive unemployment benefit, not automatically after your probationary period either. There may be exceptional circumstances in which it is not reasonably possible to continue working. Therefore, do not resign first in the expectation that UWV will pay later. Have your reasons and options assessed individually in advance. During illness, your salary and a possible Sickness Benefits Act benefit may also be at risk.
When and how do you apply for unemployment benefit?
You apply through Mijn UWV, from one week before until no later than one week after your first day of unemployment. This is the first day on which you would work if you still had your job; it is therefore not always the day after your contract end date. Applying late may temporarily lead to lower or no unemployment benefit. If you are already late, apply as soon as possible anyway. Keep your DigiD, latest payslip, employment contract, bank account number and unemployment date at hand.
How do I track my WW application?
Check the status under Uw WW-aanvraag in Mijn UWV. If UWV requests extra documents, submit them there using Aanvullende gegevens doorgeven. Collect payslips, your contract and any termination agreement before access to your work account ends. Our preparation tool sends nothing to UWV and is not a WW application.
How much is WW gross and net?
UWV calculates the WW monthly wage as daily wage × 21.75, subject to a statutory cap. Gross WW is 75% for the first two months, then 70%; income is offset. Use UWV’s official calculator for an estimate. UWV gives no personal net estimate because deductions differ. Check your decision and payment statement.
UWV — WW benefit amountUWV — duration of WWHow long does WW last?
If you qualify for WW and meet the weeks condition, it lasts three months. Longer entitlement also requires at least four qualifying employment years in the last five years. Employment history determines duration; the year WW starts does not count. Use UWV’s duration calculator and check your decision’s end date. An estimate is not an award.
UWV — WW benefit amountUWV — duration of WWWhich situation applies to you?
First compare how your employment ends. This overview concerns Dutch law; UWV decides benefit entitlement.
| Your situation | What does it mean? | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Contract expires; you can work | WW may be possible. Check all WW eligibility conditions. | Read the guidance UWV source ↗ |
| Contract expires; you are still ill | Leaving while ill: Ziektewet may apply. This differs from resigning. | Read the guidance UWV source ↗ |
| You want to resign | Have the income and benefit consequences assessed before resigning. | Read the guidance UWV source ↗ |
| Employer proposes a settlement (VSO) | Check the dismissal reason and notice period. Seek legal advice first if ill. | Read the guidance UWV source ↗ |
Collect your contract, end date and employer’s messages in your checklist.
This overview reviewed on .
Your checklist
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Item 1 / 5 · Where do you stand with this item?
Record who proposed the dismissal and why.
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For each event, note the date, what happened and where the evidence is kept. Example: 3 October — letter received — correspondence folder.
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- Record who proposed the dismissal and why.
- Check weeks worked, lost hours and availability for work.
- Compare the end date with the applicable notice period.
- Save your contract, payslips and dismissal letter or settlement agreement before your work account closes.
- Determine your first day of unemployment and note the application period.
Frequently asked questions
Will I automatically receive unemployment benefit with a settlement agreement?
No. UWV decides whether you are entitled to unemployment benefit. An appropriate reason for dismissal, correct end date and notice period are important; the other unemployment benefit conditions also continue to apply.
Can I receive unemployment benefit if I still work part-time?
This may be possible with sufficient loss of working hours and salary, provided that you also meet the other conditions. Losing fewer hours is not the same as being fully unemployed.
I am ill when my contract ends. Should I simply apply for unemployment benefit?
Unemployment benefit requires you to be immediately available for paid work. In case of illness, a different route may apply, such as Sickness Benefits Act benefit. Have your salary and benefit position assessed before termination; do not resign yourself in order to receive a benefit.