What does your employer have to say about your vacation?

27 August 2020

vacation during your unemployment benefit

Holidays in 2020 are slightly different than we are used to. Traveling is no longer so hassle-free, you have to follow many different hygiene and safety measures and you may have to deal with quarantine after arrival. Are you coming back from vacation and have to stay at home for ten days? Annoying for you, but also for your employer. But does that mean he has something to say about your vacation and travel destination?

Quarantine

In some cases, the government strongly advises you to go into quarantine every ten days after returning home from your vacation. This depends on the travel advice for your holiday destination: does the government estimate that you are at risk in a certain country or area? Then it issues a negative travel advice for it. There are four types of advice:

Green: there are no special security risks that do not apply in the Netherlands.
Yellow: there are security risks, but they are comparable to those in the Netherlands.
Orange: There are many security risks, so travel only when necessary.
Red: do not travel.

Are you coming back from an orange or red area? Then you go into quarantine for ten days. This means:

no one comes to visit
you're not going anywhere
you let others do the shopping for you - only if this is really not possible and you have no health problems, can you do this yourself
you work at home

Can your employer prohibit you from going to a risk area?

Such a quarantine can be very annoying. Also for your employer: you are away from work longer than planned. However, your employer may not prohibit you from traveling to a risk area. He may ask you not to, advise you not to and let you know what measures he will take if you do. But otherwise it has nothing to do with your holiday destination. In fact, he doesn't even need to know where you're traveling. He must of course know for planning, occupation and handover wanneer you're gone but not around you go. At most, he may ask about it. So are you going to a risk area? Then you do not have to tell your employer.

Wages during quarantine or illness?

Are you unable to work because you follow the quarantine advice of the government or because you become infected and become ill? Then you will probably receive regular wages if your holiday destination had green or yellow travel advice before departure. Was the travel advice already orange or red? Then you could have known that you would be at risk for contamination and quarantine, and your employer will likely say it is your responsibility that you cannot work. In that case, it is less obvious that your wages will continue to be paid during quarantine or illness.

Advice: be honest and clear

You don't have to tell your employer where you are going on vacation. Nevertheless, we advise you to let us know if you have been in a risk area. Your employer is responsible for the safety of you and your colleagues. If there is a chance that you got infected during your vacation, it is safer for your colleagues if you do not come to work. Your employer cannot oblige you to follow the quarantine advice. He may, however, deny you access to the workplace.

More information

Do you have questions about your rights regarding holidays in Corona time? Please let us know. Our Service Center is available every working day from 8.00:18.00 am to XNUMX:XNUMX pm via sc@unie.nl and 0345 851 963.

Not a member, but have a question? No problem

Do you have questions about the consequences of corona on your situation? Are you concerned about your income? Call or email our Service Center. Our experienced experts are there every working day to help you with their knowledge and skills. They answer your questions, can advise you on how to tackle certain situations and offer a listening ear. Contact us free of charge and without obligation. Our Service Center is available every working day from 8.00:18.00 am to XNUMX:XNUMX pm via sc@unie.nl and 0345 851 963.