WW Entitlement: Employment History in Rotterdam

WW Entitlement: Your Employment History Determines Your Benefit

In a **WW benefit**, your **employment history** plays a crucial role. It affects not only the amount, but also the duration of your benefit. This article explains how your work experience is assessed, which rules apply, and what you can do if your situation is complex.

If you become unemployed, you can apply for a **Unemployment Act (WW) benefit** under certain conditions. One of the most important factors determining your entitlement to benefit is your **employment history**. This includes the last 36 months (3 years) prior to your unemployment. Whether you are entitled to WW and how high your benefit is depends on how much you have worked, how long, and in which sectors. In this article, we explain exactly how your **employment history** is assessed and what this means for your benefit.

What is Your Employment History?

Your **employment history** is the period of 36 months before your unemployment in which you performed paid work. This includes not only full-time jobs, but also part-time work, temporary contracts, sick leave, and even periods in which you received a benefit (such as a **Sickness Benefits Act (ZW) benefit** or **Work and Income according to Labour Capacity Act (WIA) benefit**). The **UWV** (Employee Insurance Agency) assesses this period to determine whether you are entitled to a WW benefit and how high that benefit will be.

Which Periods Count?

Not all periods in your employment history count equally. The following periods are included in the calculation of your WW rights:

• Paid work: Full-time or part-time work, including temporary contracts.
• Sick leave: If you have been ill and received a **Sickness Benefits Act (ZW) benefit** for it.
• WIA benefit: If you received a **Work and Income according to Labour Capacity Act (WIA)** benefit.
• WW benefit: If you previously received a WW benefit, this may be included in your employment history.
• Training or education: If you followed a paid training or education in the last 3 years that was directly related to your work, this may sometimes be included.

Important: Unpaid periods, such as studying without pay or volunteer work, do not count towards your WW rights. Periods in which you had no income (for example, between jobs) are also not included, unless you received a benefit.

Which Periods Do Not Count?

The following periods are not included in the calculation of your employment history:

• Periods without income (for example, between jobs without a benefit).
• Volunteer work or unpaid internships.
• Study periods without paid work experience.
• Periods in which you received a social assistance benefit (bijstand) or WW supplement (these are not substitute benefits for your employment history).

Legal Basis: How is Your Employment History Assessed?

The rules for assessing your employment history are laid down in the **Unemployment Act (WW)** and the associated **General Social Assistance Act (Ambt)**. The most important articles are:

• Article 10 WW: Limitation of the right to benefit (you must have worked sufficiently in the 36 months prior to your unemployment).
• Article 11 WW: Calculation of the amount of the benefit based on your lowest and highest income in the last 3 years.
• Article 12 WW: Conditions for the duration of the benefit (depending on your age and employment history).
• Article 13 WW: Special rules for young people under 27 years of age (they must meet a minimum number of worked hours).

In addition, the **Unemployment Act Implementation Decree (Urw)** plays a role in the practical application, such as the calculation of your average daily wage.

How is the Amount of Your WW Benefit Determined?

The amount of your WW benefit is calculated on the basis of your average daily wage in the last 36 months. This average is determined by your lowest and highest income in that period. The formula is as follows:

Example: Suppose you had the following incomes in the last 3 years:

• Year 1: €30,000 (full-time ```