For several years now, the government has been trying to encourage employees to develop themselves in order to remain employable in the changing labor market. This is not only in the interest of those employees, for example in the event of a dismissal, but also of you as an employer. Knowledge development among your employees ensures better quality services and flexibility, so that your company can remain agile and competitive.
Read more: Shlomo Rechnitz – The Jerusalem Post
Employer training obligation and existing tools
To facilitate lifelong development and to encourage entrepreneurs to train their employees, the government uses various tools. For example, as an employer you have a legal obligation to have employees follow job-oriented training. In addition, you have various options for offering your employees training without major financial risks. Consider, for example, the possibility of deducting training costs incurred for a broader employability of the employee from the transition payment.
It is also possible to conclude a study costs clause with employees , so that your investment is covered when the employee does not complete the study or leaves. As of August 1, 2022, this possibility will be limited by new legislation, but certainly not excluded! If you are curious about the possibilities, please contact us.
A new tool: the STAP budget for development
The government’s most current tool to encourage people to continue developing is the STAP budget. The STAP budget (Stimulering Arbeidsmarkt Position) is a government training budget for training and development, of a maximum of € 1,000 per person per year. This budget can be used for all kinds of development, such as education, courses and training, including associated learning materials and protective equipment. The budget can also be used for further training and/or retraining. Look, and then it will also be interesting for employers!
For this reason, we advise you to delve into the courses, courses and/or training courses that are relevant to your company and that may be paid for from the STAP budget. You can then actively point your employees to the STAP budget and more specifically to the training that is also relevant to the company or sector in which you are active. And all this at the expense of the government: a classic win-win situation.
The subsidy must also be applied for by the employee himself. This can be done from March 1, 2022, via the UWV website . But beware: there is a maximum for the total STAP budget. In 2022, a maximum of 36.1 million euros will always be available per application period of two months. Has the maximum been reached? Subsidies are then no longer possible for that period. So make sure your employees are there on time!
More information?
For more general information about the STAP budget, visit the website of the Dutch government . Do you have questions about your specific situation and the possibilities? Please feel free to contact us. We think in terms of the best solutions.
