Digital control card for temporary unemployment from 1 January 2025
Digital control card for temporary unemployment from 1 January 2025
December 2024 - From 1 January 2025, the digital control card for temporary unemployment will become mandatory, with the paper version disappearing completely. This switch offers several advantages.
As an employer, when you decide to make an employee temporarily unemployed, the employment contract remains in force, but its performance is reduced or interrupted. As a result, the employee does not have to work or work less. Instead of wages, the employee can claim benefits from the NEO as temporarily unemployed.
Temporary unemployment can be applied for various reasons: in the event of a lack of work (such as during the low season or a drop in orders), due to force majeure (e.g. a fire or other unexpected event), in the event of a temporary breakdown (such as a machine breakdown), due to bad weather conditions (frost, heavy rain, extreme heat,...), in the event of a collective closure due to holidays or catch-up rest, or due to social actions (e.g. strikes). As a result, terms such as ‘temporary unemployment’, ‘economic unemployment’ and ‘technical unemployment’ are often used interchangeably.
Applying for benefits and completing a control card
The employer is responsible for reporting and dealing with certain matters, but the employee must also take action by applying for benefits and filling in a control card (C3.2A).
Until now, this can be done either on paper or digitally. From 1 January 2025, the digital control card will become mandatory, and the paper version will disappear completely. This switch offers several advantages.
The digital control card, eC3.2, is available as a PC version and as an app for smartphones. Logging in is easy via itsme or an eID.
Advantages of the digital control card
Issuing and processing paper forms becomes unnecessary.
As an employer, you no longer have to fill in the validation book.
At the press of a button, the control card is forwarded to the disbursing body, enabling faster disbursement.
You can adjust errors easily(er) without additional administrative burden.
The digital card does not get lost and can always be accessed again.
Transition period
Employees can already voluntarily switch to the electronic control card now, provided the employer agrees.
To give employers and employees time to adjust, it will remain possible to apply for exceptions until 30 June 2025. This may be necessary when the switch to digitalisation requires more preparation or in case of technical difficulties.
Exceptions
For sheltered workshops, sheltered workshops and customised workshops, the choice between a paper and a digital control card will remain.