Pensions in the Netherlands ** HR Mature workers | 50+

Together Abroad14-04-2017 12:03 PM
There are not many people who will be able to explain in detail how pensions work. Among many adults it is an abstract concept that is to be tackled a few decades down the road. I have to admit, I am not an exception. Once in a while, the topic resurfaces. Usually it is a letter from my employer informing me about the current affairs. I often start reading it only to lose interest after finishing the third paragraph. With the nearing elections, pensions and the age of retirement (AOW leeftijd), which is 67 years and three months at the moment, these are all hot topics again.

But how does a pension work? And is it something worth putting time and energy into at this moment?

Three Pillars

Drop the word AOW and most people will associate it with pension. But there are more pensions that may apply to you or that you wish to have. The Dutch pension scheme consists of three pillars. Not all of them necessarily apply to everyone automatically.

State Pension

Everyone living or working in the Netherlands is entitled to a state pension. This is called the AOW (algemeen ouderdomswet). Currently, when you reach the...
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Together Abroad01-05-2016 7:56 PM
“Take away the frustration of having to constantly apply to no avail, only to be given the option: no longer available”, said labour sociologist Jan Cremers.

Unemployed older people have difficulty getting a job, partly because they are more expensive for employers than younger people. Arrangements for employers to make hiring the elderly more attractive do not seem to work.

Crisis

Cremers found that elderly people who were out of work during the crises and in the IOW, were in a scheme for unemployed people over sixty who were no longer entitled to unemployment benefits. Then they received 70% of the minimum wage.

The labour sociologist receives approval from CNV Professionals. Chairman Piet Fortuin from that union finds that an arrangement should come for unemployed people over 55, because from that age the perspective on work is less. “We therefore believe that over-55s who are volunteers or carers, should be exempt from the obligation to seek work”.

Too Early

In the Chamber, Cremers still seems to count on little support. The Labour Party stopping at 55 too early. “I’m here to protect near-retirees. Even if they do voluntary work or care giving, stopping to apply for work from 55 is...
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Together Abroad01-01-2016 5:28 PM
Confidence in the Dutch pension and health care system has been badly dented by seniors. This came from a statement made by the elderly union ANBO, after a survey among 1,200 elderly.
Over 70 percent of respondents advised young people to save for their own healthcare services. Similarly, more than 40 percent agreed that young people need to build up their own retirement fund rather than through an employer or the pension fund.

“The respondents are aware of the fact that they have to regulate themselves more and more. They seem to want to advise young people thus: “take matters into your own hands. This does not mean that solidarity is extremely important, especially in the healthcare and pension system,” said managing director Liane den Haan.

The study shows more is important to senior security other than pension funds and healthcare. 84 percent of respondents encouraged the youth of today to buy a house. However, investment is not a popular choice compared to making savings at the bank. Only 21 percent feel investment is better than saving in the bank.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents want to continue living in their own home at an elderly age. Only 20 percent...
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Together Abroad05-12-2015 12:49 PM
Minister Lodewijk Asscher (Social Affairs and Employment) aims to work with employers and employees to agree on more concrete measures to tackle the issue of long-term unemployment in older people, to increase the chance that they can get to work.

Although unemployment has decreased, Asscher believes the the age bracket around the fifties are well behind the national average. He believes that there is a necessity to include a larger number of networking events, job training, and training vouchers.

Asscher believes it is also crucial to change what is thought about older people in the labour market. He wants it to be normal to take on older workers. Many employers now prefer to take younger workers, because that would be cheaper, and they are less frequently ill.

The Minister consults the coming period with employees and employers on concrete measures to prevent unemployment among older job seekers and to get them employed faster and more reliably.

The Houseof Representatives have asked Asscher to appoint a figurehead in order to combat negative attitudes towards older workers. The minister is working on that and lets the Chamber know if he has found the right candidate to be the face of 'new thinking'...
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Together Abroad09-11-2015 1:07 PM


The national government is continuing to take action to keep the Algemeen Ouderdomswet (state pension, AOW) affordable. This has implications for older workers and state pension claimants.

From 2016 onwards, the state pension age will increase in increments of three months and up in increments of four months from 2019. From 2022 the state pension age will be linked to life expectancy. You will receive your state pension on the first day you reach the state pension age.

Final retirement age

From 2022, the state pension age depends on the average life expectancy that is calculated by the Het Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (The central Bureau of Statistics, CBS). This allows the state pension age to rise faster. From 2017, the government will determine each year what the state pension age will be in five years time.

The national government is taking measures to keep the state pension affordable. Here are a number of these changes:

Accelerating the rise in retirement age

Everyone who works helps pay for the AOW. Over the past century, The Netherlands has had an ageing population. It is expected that this trend will continue. Due to the ageing, the number of old age pensioners...
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Iva Plocheva03-11-2015 10:19 AM
Unless you work or manage a team where everybody fits the same list of criteria, it is inevitable that you'll encounter various situations of diversity. This will often involve working with mature workers. Most people will begin to interact by communicating with certain expectations and a specific mindset. However, these stereotypes can often be damaging.

The Netherlands, like many other countries in Europe, is faced with the challenge of an ageing population. This has a direct impact on the labour market. According to The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the number of people aged over 65, measured in proportion to those aged 20-64, will double from 27% in 2012 to 52% in 2050.

Early retirement and disability schemes have now been replaced with a raise in the retirement age, which minimises the chance to take an early retirement. With statistics like these coming to light, the issue of ageing and employment has gained considerable attention over the last decade.

The emphasis has shifted towards the importance of establishing and developing successful policies which can adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances. These new policies have been focused on three main issues:

Giving better incentives to carry on working,

Tackling...
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