Hello everyone, I hope you’re doing well. Lately, I’ve been pondering on the position individuals like me, dealing with health issues such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), hold in the Dutch job market. For me, this question has been of significant importance.

you can read this content: Challenges and Progress in the Netherlands

Over the past couple of years, I’ve realized that in many cases, employers are unaware, perhaps unintentionally, of the challenges faced by individuals with chronic illnesses like MS. Instead of addressing the real issues, they tend to point out unnecessary shortcomings, leading to a lack of job allocation and a misunderstanding of individuals’ circumstances.

It’s for this reason that I decided to explore a new path in my career. The idea that resonated with me was to establish a sole proprietorship or what they call ‘ZZP’ locally. This decision aims to minimize the risk for employers when hiring individuals dealing with chronic illnesses such as MS.

However, amidst this decision, the issue of occupational insurance has also come into focus. Due to my medical condition, I’ve had to allocate nearly half of my income to insurances.

On one occasion, one of the employers asked me if I belonged to their target group or not. This question prompted further discussions between myself and my inner circle. This discussion led us to a fruitful conclusion, and currently, I’m engaged in efforts to ascertain my status within the target job group in the Netherlands.

This subject, which I’ll elaborate on further below, allows me to gain a better understanding of the working conditions and the support available in my country. If the content seems brief due to the current brevity, please understand that delving into these crucial matters has been time-consuming for me.

Doelgroep:The target group register contains people with a work disability. They often have difficulty finding a job. This concerns people with a physical, psychological or intellectual disability.