Corona virus & Interfisc-Arbo’s (company) doctor
Sickness notifications & Corona
Many employers and employees ask us whether or not someone is ill and / or should be reported sick.
The main rule here is that, if the employee is unable to work due to illness, he or she is ill and therefore must be reported sick. Regardless if Corona is diagnosed.
On the other hand, if the employee is unable to work for a reason other than illness (for example government measures, quarantine, no childcare available), he or she is not sick in which case reporting sick is not an issue.
Below you’ll find information about both precautions and continued payment of wages:
What if the employee suspects to be infected with the Coronavirus?
In the unhoped-for event that employees fall ill, they have to stay at home and contact their GP by telephone at first instance. It is not wise to invite them to the consultation hour of the company doctor. The Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG) has adopted the guideline that an assessment of the complaints is made by telephone at first, to prevent an infected patient from spreading the Coronavirus in the waiting room.
What can the company doctor do in these situations?
The company doctor is not involved in answering the question whether your employee is indeed infected with the Corona virus. This is the role of the GP in consultation with the GGD, in those situations where Corona is suspected and the health situation deteriorates due to, for example, rising temperatures and shortness of breath.
The company doctor mainly has an advisory role. He can advise on (company-specific) preventive measures to prevent contamination and appropriate measures that you as an employer can take if one of your employees is infected. Of course, your employees can also go to the company doctor if they are concerned about the consequences of the Corona virus.
In any case, employees in the Netherlands are entitled to free access to the working conditions consultation hour:
Click here for more information about the working conditions consultation hour (available in Dutch only):
Adapted working method for reporting sick during the Corona crisis
Our consultation hours
In accordance with our current policy, no physical consultation hours can take place. Instead they are all held by telephone. We would like to draw your attention to the possibility of organizing an online consultation hour, via an online video tool: WeSeeDo. WeSeeDo has been specially developed for remote medical consultations and is therefore safe, anonymous and in line with European privacy legislation. In addition, WeSeeDo meets the NEN 7510 standard and ISO 27001 certification.
If you have any questions about how to deal with sick leave and continued payment of wages, you will find a lot of information in our FAQ:
Related topics
Keep up to date on the latest news!
Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest information on employer obligations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom.
Together, solution-oriented and caring
Since 1972, Interfisc has offered international HR & Payroll solutions in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy. We do this from our offices in the Netherlands and Belgium, and with an international team of around 45 committed and caring employees.
- Thorough knowledge of local rules on employment law, social security, taxes, employee benefits and health & safety
- We keep you informed of changes in local legislation, supplemented with practical solutions
- One point of contact for all your questions
- Expert in cross border payroll solutions since 1972
- We speak your language!
Need to know more?
Questions about what needs to be done?
Our customer support team is at your service, you can reach us by phone or via the contact form.
Not found what you were looking for?
In the world of international employment, every situation is unique.
If our website does not provide the answers, please do not hesitate to contact us, together we can work out the best solution (to your needs).
More information
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Stay up to date on employer obligations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy.
- Copyright Interfisc 2025