Medical working-hours restriction (UWV) in track 2

A UWV medical working-hours restriction means a company doctor or UWV insurance physician concludes that, due to illness or impairment, you can structurally work fewer hours. In track 2 re-integration (finding suitable work with another employer), that restriction directly shapes what “suitable work” looks like, how hours can be built up, and how the case file is assessed. It is not a preference for part-time work; it must be medically substantiated. This article explains how the restriction is recorded and how to apply it in a practical track 2 process.

When does UWV consider a medical working-hours restriction?

A UWV medical working-hours restriction typically becomes relevant when working the former number of hours leads to relapse, worsening symptoms, or insufficient recovery. In a WIA assessment, UWV evaluates sustainable functional capacity across the working week. That evaluation is based on medical information, recovery patterns, and whether someone can cope with workload and recovery time.

A UWV medical working-hours restriction is not the same as a scheduling wish or a temporary “take it easy” agreement. There must be a medical rationale, such as limited energy capacity, the need for treatment, or a heightened risk of overload. In track 2, this distinction matters because job search activities and the intensity of applications must align with medical capacity.

Common situations where reduced hours may be medically appropriate include:

• Limited energy due to chronic conditions or post-surgery recovery, making long shifts unrealistic.
• Mental health complaints where stimulus load and recovery time determine sustainable hours.
• Rehabilitation or treatment on fixed time blocks that structurally reduces available work hours.
• A combination of physical limitations and medication side effects that reduce stamina.

How is a working-hours restriction documented (company doctor, FML and UWV)?

A UWV medical working-hours restriction is often first reflected in the company doctor’s advice. The company doctor describes what you can do, which limitations apply, and what a responsible build-up of hours could look like. This advice feeds into the reintegration Plan of Action under the Dutch Gatekeeper Improvement Act process.

For a WIA application, UWV translates medical limitations into the Functional Abilities List (FML). The FML is UWV’s structured tool to record capacity across domains such as personal functioning, physical actions, and working times. If reduced hours are part of the medical picture, they should be clearly supported and consistent with the overall assessment.

For both HR and the employee, it helps to make the restriction concrete so track 2 stays actionable. Agree on maximum hours per day, recovery moments, and evaluation points. In practice, these elements make the difference:

• Maximum hours per day and per week, with a clear bandwidth.
• Recovery moments, for example a fixed break after a concentration-heavy block.
• Restrictions on late, evening, or night shifts if nightly recovery is necessary.
• Step-by-step build-up with evaluation moments and overload warning signs.

What does a UWV working-hours restriction mean in a track 2 process?

A UWV medical working-hours restriction shapes the core track 2 question: what work is “suitable” within the documented capacity? Suitable work must match the functional possibilities described by the company doctor and, where relevant, UWV, including working time limits and pace. A role may look suitable in content, yet still be unsuitable if the hours or schedule pressure conflict with recovery.

A UWV medical working-hours restriction also affects the reintegration activities themselves. Applications, networking meetings, and trial placements must fit within the available energy and agreed hours. At the same time, the core obligation remains: employer and employee must seriously explore options outside the current organisation when internal return is not feasible, such as within a track 2 reintegration pathway.

In practice, three recurring focus points are:

• Search profile: part-time roles or roles with flexible, predictable hours are more realistic.
• Work trial placement: a safe build-up reduces the risk of starting too fast and dropping out.
• Case file: document choices, including why certain options are medically unsuitable.
• Professional alignment: the company doctor’s advice should clearly translate into actions and evaluations.

Example: an employee with respiratory complaints can sustainably work 20 hours per week, spread across four shorter days. Track 2 should then avoid roles with long shifts or high physical peaks, and focus on predictable tasks with recovery time. Starting with a 2x4-hour work trial may be safer than immediately moving to 4x5 hours.

Rights, obligations and common mistakes with reduced hours

A UWV medical working-hours restriction does not remove reintegration duties. The employee must cooperate with suitable work and reasonable agreements; the employer must actively support, explore suitable work, and maintain a coherent case file. In track 2, that means setting realistic goals that are medically sound and also verifiable for UWV.

Problems often arise when reduced hours are not recorded precisely. A common mistake is agreeing on fewer hours without medical grounding or without evaluation moments. The opposite mistake is pushing for rapid hour increases while symptoms still need to stabilise. In both situations, UWV may question the logic of the case file and the quality of efforts.

In track 2 with reduced hours, pay close attention to:

• Record agreements in the Plan of Action and translate them into weekly targets.
• Use consistent wording: reduced hours, capacity, and build-up should not contradict each other.
• Discuss rights and obligations in track 2 explicitly to align expectations.
• Substantiate choices with medical input, without sharing unnecessary medical details.
• Consider a wage value assessment if productivity structurally differs from role standards.

If the process moves toward WIA, people often ask what reduced hours mean for income. In a WIA assessment, remaining earning capacity is central; reduced hours can limit that capacity, but outcomes depend on which roles UWV considers suitable. It helps to understand the route toward a WIA benefit with reduced hours and to align the file’s reasoning accordingly.