Top UWV executive quits amid benefit scandal
Johanna Hirscher has resigned immediately as a board member of the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV), citing a “difference of opinion” over how to address ongoing failures within the organization, according to NOS. The UWV confirmed her departure Tuesday, pointing to errors in disability benefit calculations and backlogs in social-medical assessments as key concerns.
“With pain in my heart, I say goodbye to UWV and urge The Hague: make quick decisions that truly simplify the WIA and related regulations. The time for discussion and reports is over,” Hirscher said in a statement.
Problems with WIA (Work and Income According to Labor Capacity Act) assessments have persisted for years, with some applicants waiting more than six months for a decision, leaving them in financial uncertainty. While the backlog has been reduced, 1,100 people still faced such delays in 2024.
Beyond delays, the agency has admitted to years of miscalculating WIA benefits. The errors, affecting how disability percentages are determined, range from minor discrepancies to miscalculations exceeding 1,184 euros per month. A 2021 audit found that 31 percent of cases involved errors in calculating the “maatmanloon” (reference wage), a key factor in determining benefits. In some instances, error rates reached 60 percent.
Even small calculation mistakes had major consequences. If a claimant was deemed less than 35 percent disabled due to an error, they received no benefits. Others missed out on allowances meant for severe disabilities. Despite internal warnings since at least 2020, the UWV leadership reportedly failed to act.
Legal experts say the agency only fixed minor indexation issues while ignoring deeper systemic flaws. “The findings are worse than we suspected,” said Jean Louis van Os of Advocaten Collectief Tilburg, to Een Vandaag. “This is the foundation of the benefits system, and it’s completely flawed.” Social security advisor Maurice Zieleman described the process as “too complex and opaque for claimants to fight back.”
The Tweede Kamer is calling for more extensive compensation for those affected by UWV’s miscalculations, AD reports. GroenLinks-PvdA has proposed a 5,000 euros lump-sum payment for all individuals harmed by incorrect benefit payments.
Last week, Minister of Social Affairs Eddy van Hijum announced that the UWV would reassess 43,000 disability benefit cases following an investigation revealing widespread errors. Some beneficiaries had been underpaid for years, while others received excess payments that now require correction.
Legislators warn the true number of affected individuals is likely much higher. “Re-evaluating these cases will take years. The process risks becoming completely bogged down unless the minister intervenes,” said GroenLinks-PvdA lawmaker Mariëtte Patijn.
Patijn’s proposal would allow affected individuals to accept a 5,000 euros payout rather than endure prolonged reassessments. “For some, this amount may exceed their actual losses, while for others, it won’t fully cover damages. But at least people will have the option of a swift resolution and financial clarity,” she said. The payment would not affect eligibility for other benefits.
While the total cost of the plan remains unclear, Patijn argued that it could ultimately reduce government spending by cutting down on the need for extensive file reviews. “Examining tens of thousands of cases requires hundreds of staff members. If many people accept this lump-sum payment, it will ease the burden on the UWV and the Tax Authority, preventing the system from collapsing.”
