Benefits for first responders

Does your organisation employ first responders (emergency workers)? Then your employees are entitled to benefits in a number of situations. If a first responder is missing or killed as a result of their work, their partner or children may also be entitled to benefits.

Who is a first responder?

A first responder is someone who works as an employee or volunteer at:

municipal or regional fire brigade
primary healthcare service
ambulance service
municipal emergency services control room
Netherlands Red Cross
other recognised institutions in the emergency and healthcare sector

Sickness benefits for illness or disability

Is your employee a first responder? And have they become ill or disabled as a result of the work? Then your employee may be entitled to sickness benefits for first responders. Is the employee still unable to work after the sick pay has stopped? Then they may be entitled to sickness benefits for first responders under the following conditions:

Your employee has become injured or ill during their work as a first responder.
Your employee became injured or ill within 6 months after stopping work as a result of being a first responder.

Applying for sickness or disability benefits for first responders

Your employee has to apply for the sickness or disability benefits for first responders within a year of becoming ill or disabled. They can do so by contacting the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Affairs.

Widow’s and orphan’s benefits

Was your employee a first responder and did they die during their work as such or within 2 years of performing this work? Then their partner may be entitled to widow’s benefits. Children may also be entitled to orphan's benefits for first responders. This also applies if your employee goes missing as a result of this work. The partner or children are eligible for these benefits under the following conditions:

To receive widow’s benefits for first responders, the partner must: