New TNO portal helps sectors define heavy work for early retirement schemes
Starting April 1, employers and employees in physically or mentally demanding jobs can seek clarity on early retirement arrangements. The TNO portal assesses whether their definition of 'heavy work' meets health and safety criteria, helping workers retire up to three years earlier without financial penalties.
| Key Data | Details |
|---|---|
| Portal Launch Date | April 1, 2026 |
| Purpose | Assess definitions of 'heavy work' for Early Retirement Arrangements (RVU) |
| RVU Benefit Amount (2026) | €2,357 gross per month (€2,657 for low-income or small pension cases) |
| Assessment Criteria | Workload, health risks, workplace measures, expertise used |
| Responsible Parties | Collective bargaining parties, TNO, Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment |
| Deadline for Feedback | 2028 (on use of TNO advice) |
| Additional Support | TNO methodology for mapping workload, knowledge-sharing programme |
The TNO Expertise Centre for Heavy Work plays a key role in advising on sustainable employability and labor conditions in the Netherlands. It supports sectors and companies by providing scientific assessments and methodologies to address heavy workloads and early retirement schemes.
Read the full translated article below
TNO portal for heavy work opens on April 1
On April 1, the portal of the TNO Expertise Centre for Heavy Work will open. From that date, collective bargaining parties can submit their substantiated definition of heavy work for their Early Retirement Arrangement (RVU) to TNO. TNO will assess this substantiation and provide advice.
Clarity on defining heavy work
Some employees in heavy work cannot continue working healthily until the state pension age. Employers and employees can then agree on an RVU arrangement. They make agreements about the conditions. An important part of this is determining who qualifies and the substantiation for this. The TNO portal assists with this by assessing whether the definition of heavy work is carefully and well-substantiated.
How does the portal work?
Collective bargaining parties submit their substantiated definition of the RVU target group to TNO. TNO assesses this substantiation and provides advice on it.
Collective bargaining parties can use their own approach to determine heavy work in their sector or company. TNO also provides a methodology for mapping workload. Sectors and companies can use this for discussions about heavy work, sustainable employability, and RVU.
In its assessment, TNO considers, among other things:
- the workload, such as working hours (e.g., night shifts), physical and mental strain, and work environment;
- whether this workload leads to an increased risk of health damage;
- to what extent risks can be reduced with workplace measures;
- whether the correct expertise was used to determine the risks.
The advice from TNO shows to what extent the definition meets the criteria and can provide tools for improvement. It also offers starting points for working on sustainable employability.
Collective bargaining parties remain responsible for who falls under the arrangement and decide how to use the advice. By 2028 at the latest, they will indicate how they have used the advice.
Social partners and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment are monitoring this process.
What is an RVU arrangement?
An RVU arrangement is an agreement that allows employees to retire up to three years before their state pension age. They then receive a benefit from the employer. Up to a set amount, the employer does not have to pay additional tax on this.
In 2026, this amount is €2,357 gross per month. For tight situations, such as employees with low incomes or little supplementary pension, there is an additional €300 gross per month.
At the same time, the cabinet and social partners are working on an agenda for sustainable employability to promote healthy longer working. The agenda focuses on preventing or alleviating heavy work, for example through innovation, and facilitating a timely transition from heavy to lighter work.
Knowledge programme of the Expertise Centre for Heavy Work
The TNO Expertise Centre for Heavy Work is also running a knowledge programme. The aim is to gather and share knowledge about heavy work, RVU, and sustainable employability.
More information
Collective bargaining parties can use the portal from April 1. More information about the conditions and procedures can be found on the website of TNO and the Stichting van de Arbeid.