reintegratie

Reintegratie refers to the process of enabling individuals who are out of or at risk of leaving the labor market to return to work or participate in society. It encompasses measures to improve employability, remove barriers to employment, and support sustainable participation in work and social life. Reintegratie programs can target people who are unemployed, sick-listed, disabled, or otherwise disadvantaged in the labor market, as well as other groups requiring social reintegration.

In the Netherlands, reintegratie is a central element of social and labor policy. Responsibility is shared among national government, municipalities, and social insurers such as the UWV (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen). The Participatiewet (Participation Act) of 2015 assigned duties to municipalities to help people on benefits participate in work, through job coaching, training, wage subsidies, and supported employment. For illness or disability within the employer framework, the UWV supervises illness-benefit schemes and supports reintegration into work.

Common instruments include career guidance, skills training, apprenticeships, subsidies for employers who hire people with disabilities, supported employment arrangements, and job-search assistance. Trajectories are usually tailored to individual needs, time-limited, and subject to monitoring by the involved authorities and service providers.

Outcomes are evaluated in terms of return-to-work rates, job retention, and social participation, while costs and administrative burden are common policy concerns. Broader reintegratie also covers social reintegration after criminal justice involvement, with the aim of reducing recidivism.