Introduction AVG costs employers 1.8 billion
The new privacy law can lead to undesirable a-social behavior. A question such as "what else can you do?" You as an employer no longer have to ask your sick employee. But in the meantime, you simply pay the wages of your sick employees. It is both in your interest and in the interest of your employee that the absence will last as short as possible: because working is healthy. In addition, the privacy of your employee must of course be properly safeguarded, without detracting from the social manners that are so important to keep a grip on absenteeism.
General trend: additional absenteeism costs
In 2017, gross national income was 728 billion euros. The absenteeism was 4%. This means that employers lose their grip on 29 billion euros in wages and are dependent on a third party such as an occupational health and safety service. A first calculation shows that employers will lose an additional 1.8 billion euros in absenteeism costs in the coming years because they are no longer allowed to ask whether a sick employee needs support or assistance.
Less grip and possibilities
As a result of the new privacy rules, employers can offer more difficult tailor-made support to employees who, for example, provide informal care or have a lot of debts. It is estimated that between 50 and 70% of absenteeism in the Netherlands is directly influenced and is not directly related to a medical cause. This is called gray absenteeism. However, as an employer you get less and less grip and possibilities to reduce the gray absenteeism. While the question "I understand you are ill, can I do something for you or do you need something?" A very natural question is to ask. The opinions in the market or this is permitted in the context of the privacy rules are divided. It is certain that there is ambiguity. "It can not be the intention of these rules that we can no longer help each other?" Says Daniël Rijnbeek, consultant at Van Lanschot Chabot / Mandema & Partners. He states that it is in the interest of both employers and employees to organize the right help as quickly as possible. Statistics underpin that rapid intervention or help leads to shorter absenteeism. In about 25% of the sick reports, the employer can help an employee by, for example, providing care leave or organizing debt assistance.