Corona vaccine: right to short leave, but what about your Workers’ Compensation insurance?

Most of your employees will soon receive their invitation letter to be vaccinated. They may then go to the vaccination centre in their neighbourhood, at a fixed time. Unfortunately, many vaccination appointments are scheduled during working hours. Therefore, the government has now determined that these appointments are a form of short leave. But what if an employee has an accident on the way to his vaccination? Is he then covered by the Workers’ Compensation insurance?

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New form of short leave

Anyone who has been vaccinated against the coronavirus is now entitled to paid time off from work for the time it takes to receive the vaccine. This  type of short is leave has retention of the normal wage. 

Good to know:

• In order to claim this new form of short leave, your employees must inform you as soon as possible of the time of their appointment. 
• Is the employee suddenly contacted because he is on the reserve list for vaccinations? Then he may leave the workplace immediately, but obviously not without informing you first.
• The time to travel to and from the vaccination location is also part of the short leave.
• Everyone with an employment contract can appeal to this short leave, including temporary workers, work students and teleworkers. 
• Employees cannot be obliged to be vaccinated outside of working hours, not even if they have the possibility to choose the moment of vaccination themselves.
• For the time being, this regulation applies until 31 December 2021. 

Suspension of the Workers’ Compensation insurance

A short leave of absence implies a suspension of the insurance cover. Your employees are therefore not covered by the Workers’ Compensation insurance on their way to or from the vaccination centre. That is why many insurers offer accident cover as an extension to your existing policy. 

Questions about the corona vaccine and small claims? Get in touch!

For the time being, there have been no official announcements from insurers, but in the meantime, our experts are closely monitoring developments. So don't hesitate to contact us for more information.