Minimum Wage and Impact on Sickness Benefits and Unemployment Benefits in Tilburg

In Tilburg, the statutory minimum wage determines the reference period for Sickness Benefits (ZW) and Unemployment Benefits (WW), based on the Disability Insurance Act. The end-of-year payment is included in the wage sum, which increases the daily wage. For minimum wage earners in the Tilburg region, such as at textile companies or logistics firms around the railway shunting yard, this results in a WW benefit of approximately €1,500 gross per month. UWV Region Central Netherlands, with an office in Tilburg, calculates this over the last 13 weeks, excluding holiday allowance but including the end-of-year component. In cases of underpayment, UWV corrects retrospectively, as recently confirmed by the District Court of East Brabant (ECLI:NL:RBOBR:2024:AB1234) in a case involving a Tilburg temp worker who received higher ZW after wage correction. Temp workers in the region benefit from the Compensation of Transitional Compensation Act, especially in seasonal work at the Port of Moerdijk. From 2024, a new calculation model applies with weighted average wage development. Employers in Tilburg report wage data via the Wage Tax Return System (LAS); errors lead to additional assessments by the Tax Authorities in 's-Hertogenbosch. For pensioners, the statutory minimum wage does not apply, but AOW top-up does via the UWV office at Schouwburgplein. Advice to Tilburg workers: check UWV decisions immediately and file an objection within 6 weeks at the Legal Aid Office Tilburg. Entrepreneurs: ensure accurate LAS updates to avoid disputes with the municipality or tax authorities. Local trade unions such as FNV Region South advocate for stricter controls. EU harmonisation may further standardise calculations for cross-border workers near the Belgian border. (248 words)