The Inspectorate for Social Affairs and Employment is calling on the government to implement an age limit on meal deliverers. All meal deliverers must be 16 years old or older, because currently young teenagers are increasingly working in this field and end up in dangerous situations, the Inspectorate said, NOS reports.
Tamara van Ark
Jan 19 '20 08:00
The government is investigating whether workers in dangerous jobs can be forced to take regular drug- and alcohol tests. Due to privacy rules, only a small professional group - drivers, pilots, train drivers, among others - can currently be tested on alcohol or drug use. But VVD State Secretary Tamara van Ark of Social Affairs wants to change the law so that companies have more options to act if they think employees are under the influence, AD reports.
Oct 9 '19 10:10
The Dutch government is stepping up the fight against discrimination in the employee recruitment process. Employers and employment agencies caught discriminating while looking for staff will now be fined up to 4,500 euros per case. Their misconduct will also be made public, State Secretary Tamara van Ark of Social Affairs and Employment announced in a bill on Wednesday, the Volkskrant report.
Jul 1 '19 17:40
Parents are too free to decide whether or not to vaccinate their child, an investigative committee on childcare and vaccination said in a report on Monday. Participation in the National Vaccination Program should be made a condition for access to childcare, the committee advises. If this has no effect, the Dutch government should consider a "general vaccination obligation laid down by law", NU.nl reports.
Jan 16 '19 12:00
State Secretary Tamara van Ark of Social Affairs and Employment called on the public to report abuses in nail salons in the Netherlands. There are signals of human trafficking and exploitation in the fast growing sector. "The Inspectorate works through reports, then they can intervene. It is therefore important that we all keep our eyes open, because we can not do it alone", she said to NOS.
Nov 22 '18 13:20
State Secretary Tamara van Ark of Social Affairs and Employment wants to make it mandatory for companies to make policies that prevent discrimination against job applicants. To enforce this, the Social Affairs and Employment Inspectorate will be given more powers. The Inspectorate will be given the task to monitor companies' policies and issue penalties to employers who ignore the new obligation, ANP reports.
Oct 3 '18 12:00
A growing group of working Dutch live in poverty, social and cultural planning office SCP said in a report published on Wednesday. In 2014 a total of 4.6 percent of Dutch workers, or 320 thousand people, lived below the poverty line, compared to 3.1 percent in 2001. Of these working poor, 175 thousand are employed and 145 thousand are self-employed, ANP reports.
Sep 18 '18 12:30
The VVD posted a video on Twitter on Tuesday showcasing the outfits and hats to be worn by prominent party members on Budget Day. It was largely met with criticism. "Do you really have nothing better to do?" one Twitter user wanted to know.
The video features, among others, Minister Eric Wiebes of Economic Affairs, State Secretary Tamara van Ark of Social Affairs and parliamentarian Ockje Tellengen. "Budget Day... plans, figures, millions... But above all: the political catwalk!" the party wrote with the video.
Aug 24 '18 08:49
The Dutch government will re-examine whether it is possible to allow daycare centers to refuse children who haven't been vaccinated. A parliamentary majority, led by the three largest government parties, supports this, RTL Nieuws reports.
"Childcare must be a safe place. I understand the concerns about decreasing vaccination, that also affects childcare", State Secretary Tamara van Ark of Social Affairs said on Twitter. "That is why I want to investigate possibilities for organizations to refuse childcare for non-vaccinated children."
Apr 9 '18 08:58
Prime Minister Mark Rutte responded to a letter from 21-year-old Noortje van Lith from Roosendaal. The young woman, who is bound to a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy, expressed concern over him supporting a legislative proposal stating that people with a disability can be paid less than minimum wage.
Jan 17 '18 12:00
The SP and PvdA raised concerns about a website targeting young people with mental and physical disabilities to recruit them for sex work. "The site recruits vulnerable young people for sex work. That is crazy", SP parliamentarian Jasper van Dijk said, according to RTL Nieuws. The parties want the government to ban this site.
Dec 8 '17 08:00
State Secretary Tamara van Ark of Social Affairs wants to make binding agreements with Dutch municipalities about enforcing the 'language requirement' when paying welfare benefits. This requirement - which states that people receiving social assistance benefits must be able to use the Dutch language or learn to do so quickly - was entered into Dutch law in 2016, but as an 'option' for municipalities. The government now wants to make it an obligation, the Volkskrant reports.
Dec 5 '17 08:25
The Netherlands current poverty policy is not enough to adequately meet the needs of the 378 thousand children in the country living in poverty, according to Children's Ombudsman Margrite Kalverboer. More attention must be paid to creating a stable home situation for these children, she said in a report published on Tuesday, Het Parool reports.
Nov 28 '17 08:58
The Dutch government wants to keep a closer eye on people who come into contact with children in childcare in any why. From March 1st next year, the childcare register will include, in addition to childminders, all people who go to a daycare or creche on a regular basis, including people who don't actually care for children themselves, NOS reports.
Oct 23 '17 12:00
The names of the Rutte III cabinet's Ministers and State Secretaries were announced on Saturday. In addition to Prime Minster Mark Rutte, there wil be 15 Ministers and eight State Secretaries. Just over a third of the new government are women. The expectation is that the Rutte III cabinet will take office on October 26th, RTL Nieuws reports.
Sep 10 '15 09:57
Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs is organization an expert meeting in October to find ways to counter discrimination on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.
