Queen Máxima urges employers to share ideas on staff finances

Queen Máxima encouraged employers to work together on staff financial health at a roundtable during her visit to the National Police in Apeldoorn on 1 October. She suggested that participating organisations form a working group to learn from one another. Earlier in the visit, she discussed the financial health of police employees and the support offered by the force as an employer. [1]

At the roundtable, Esmé Valk of Schiphol Group and Leone Groote Woortmann-Broens of healthcare organisation Parnassia said employees were increasingly struggling with travel costs. Groote Woortmann-Broens said sickness absence rose towards the end of the month, particularly when petrol costs were higher. [1]

Valk said Schiphol had agreed to reimburse travel costs more generously. She also cautioned against relying too heavily on shift allowances, saying some employees might then work only nights and weekends, to the detriment of their health and social lives. [1]

The discussion also covered employers taking over workers’ debts. Participants pointed to a KPN scheme through which employees can repay student debt owed to DUO tax-free. Roundtable moderator Sadik Harchaoui suggested that taking over debts could help workers with multiple creditors manage their finances. [1]