Making a plan of action, what are you waiting for!

"Your employer will make a plan of action with you. You do this no later than two weeks after the company doctor draws up the problem analysis. The plan of action states how you can return to work as quickly and responsibly as possible."

The UWV gives the (absent) employees employed by employers the above information about the plan of action. This piece of information insinuates that it may only be made after a problem analysis has been made. It implies that a medical "assessment," namely the "problem analysis," must first take place before you make a plan together about reintegration.

Because what does the UWV say about the problem analysis:

"Are you sick for almost 6 weeks? Then you have had 1 or more interviews with the company doctor or at the occupational health and safety service. The doctor looks at what activities you can or cannot do. After this examination he makes a problem analysis. This contains what is necessary for your reintegration. With all this information, you and the doctor look at how you can return to work as soon as possible."

In this piece, the UWV points out that the doctor looks at what activities a person can or cannot do. And that the goal is for someone to return to work as soon as possible.

What do we think of this? Is this how we at De Arbodienst also look at the plan of action? Is this how you as an employer do it? And what do you actually think of...

An action plan has several purposes, one of which is to justify your reintegration steps during the gatekeeper period to the UWV. Another important purpose is to record the agreements made, for which employee and employer both have to sign and agree.

Sometimes the plan of action is used for purposes of the employer to force something from the employee, such as starting reintegration, or moving the workplace. The employee then does not want to sign, because he or she does not agree. And this is possible and allowed.

The idea is to make agreements together and look for possibilities. And only then do you lay it down so that there is commitment on both sides. Should the plan ultimately not be feasible, you can adjust the previous agreements by means of an adjustment or evaluation. You then indicate in the document why the agreements change. You also do this together with the employee.

Now what does this mean in practice? It says very clearly that it is drawn up in togetherness, but only after a plan of action has been drawn up. However, in principle, the plan of action can be drawn up on day 1 or week 1. If the problem analysis does require deviation from the plan of action, it can be done by making an adjustment.

The key is to discuss it together and not to put the doctor in charge of what can or cannot be done. We at De Arbodienst have written several articles on the subject of 'taking control' and our advisors are happy to help you improve communication between you and your employee. Go to our news page and read all the articles.