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Travel, Holiday and Moving House While Sick in the Netherlands

Published
Updated
ByJolande Geerts

Short answer

Being sick does not automatically mean you can never travel, take holiday or move house.

The real question is whether the plan clashes with recovery, medical appointments, employer permission, reachability or reintegration duties.

Who this article is for

  • employees in a Dutch sickness or reintegration track
  • expats who need practical do / do-not guidance rather than only the legal background
  • people on a Ziektewet route who are considering travel, especially abroad

Why this page exists

The practical scenario is often what users need first.

Most people are not asking for a theory of reintegration. They want to know whether a real-life plan is safe before they make it harder for themselves.

Fast route

  1. Check whether your plan conflicts with treatment, the bedrijfsarts or agreed work steps.
  2. Ask for permission if holiday leave is involved.
  3. Confirm how you remain reachable during the period away or during the move.
  4. Put the agreement in writing instead of relying on an informal phone call.
  5. If you are on a Ziektewet route, check the UWV notification rule before you leave.

Holiday during sickness

Rijksoverheid states that even during sickness you still have a right to take holiday. But if you want to take holiday days while you are sick, you must ask your employer for permission first.

Rijksoverheid also states that when you take holiday days during sickness, you receive your full pay for those holiday days.

That makes holiday during sickness possible, but not automatic.

If you become sick while already on holiday

Rijksoverheid states that if you become sick during your holiday, you should report this to your employer.

The holiday days on which you are sick do not simply disappear as holiday days. They are treated as sickness days, and you arrange with the employer to take the holiday time another time.

Your normal sickness and reintegration duties still matter

Arboportaal states that employees must follow the employer’s sickness protocol and report sickness on time.

UWV and Rijksoverheid also state that employer and employee work together on reintegration during long-term sickness. That includes following the plan of action, attending appointments with the arbodienst or bedrijfsarts and cooperating with suitable-work steps where required.

So even if travel or a move is not forbidden in itself, it becomes risky if it breaks those duties.

Travel abroad on a Ziektewet route

UWV states that if you receive a Ziektewet benefit and want to go on holiday abroad, you must report that holiday at the latest 2 weeks before departure via the change form.

UWV also uses the same change route for other relevant changes in the Ziektewet situation.

If you are in the Ziektewet, do not assume a normal employee holiday rule is the whole story.

What about moving house while you are sick?

There is no separate government page that says “moving house while sick is forbidden” or “always allowed”.

The practical issue is whether the move disrupts your sickness protocol or reintegration duties. That can happen if the move affects:

  • your reachability
  • appointments with the bedrijfsarts, arbodienst or UWV
  • treatment or recovery routine
  • a work adaptation, workplace assessment or travel arrangement that was already part of the reintegration plan

So a move is usually not about asking for a special “move permit”. It is about making sure the move does not create avoidable non-cooperation problems.

Safe decision rule

Low-risk situation

The trip or move does not clash with treatment, appointments or agreed work steps, and the employer / UWV route has been informed where needed.

Higher-risk situation

The plan creates missed appointments, poor reachability, conflict with medical advice, or delay in reintegration.

That is where practical trouble usually starts.

Common mistakes

  • assuming sickness means there are no holiday rules left
  • travelling abroad without checking how appointments will continue
  • thinking a move is irrelevant while reintegration depends on location or availability
  • relying on oral permission only
  • forgetting that a Ziektewet case can have a separate UWV notice rule

What to do now

  • check whether holiday permission is needed
  • keep your employer, bedrijfsarts or UWV route workable in practice
  • give travel notice on time if you are on Ziektewet and going abroad
  • confirm address, reachability and appointment impact before you move house
  • keep all agreements in writing

Official sources

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