CAO for Theatre and Dance

Chapter 7Long-term employability

    Article 7.1 | Night shifts

    1. For working a night shift, with the exception of travelling time, as defined in this CAO, a financial bonus of 50% applies for each hour worked. The bonus shall be calculated over the gross hourly wage applicable to the employee’s applicable gross hourly wage as defined in Article 1.1 of this collective bargaining agreement. If employees are already entitled to a night shift bonus on the basis of their individual terms of employment or on the basis of another CAO, only the highest bonus will be paid.
    2. Employees who are less than 7 years away from their legal retirement age (AOW) may request the employer for exemption from night shifts. The employer will grant this request as a rule. Only in incidental, unforeseen situations can the employer ask the employee to work a night shift.

    Article 7.2 | Generation scheme

    1. Employees who are less than 7 years away from their legal retirement age (AOW), who have been in employment with the employer for at least 5 years and who wish to reduce their employability by no less than 50% of their original working hours, can opt to continue to accrue pension on the basis of their original working hours as set out in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article. This scheme applies on the condition of participation in the applicable pension fund.
    2. The pension accrual remains based on the original working hours. The associated premium is paid by the employer and the employee in accordance with the ratio agreed in the CAO. If the employee reduces the working hours by at least 0.2 FTE, the salary belonging to the new working hours is increased by 0.1 FTE. If the employee reduces the working hours by less than 0.2 FTE, the new salary is increased by 0.05 FTE.
      Examples:
      • from 1.0 FTE to 0.8 FTE means: 80% work, 90% salary, 100% pension accrual
      • from 0.8 FTE to 0.4 FTE means: 40% work, 50% salary, 80% pension accrual
      • from 0.8 FTE to 0.7 FTE means: 70% work, 75% salary, 80% pension accrual
    3. The new working hours form the basis for all other terms of employment, such as the accumulation of holiday leave and the calculation of allowances. The reduction in an employee’s working hours is given in whole or half days, in agreement between the employer and the employee. Employees with irregular working hours are not entitled to a fixed free day. These employees are given the extra free days spread out as evenly as possible over the roster period.

    Article 7.3 | Long-term unpaid leave

    1. Employees who have a contract of employment for an indefinite period and who have been in employment with the employer for at least five years may request long-term unpaid leave, for the purpose of long-term employability. Such a request may be made a maximum of once every five years.
    2. Long-term unpaid leave must be requested at least six months before the start of the season in which the unpaid leave starts with the employer, for a period of at least two months and a maximum of twelve months. When making the request, employees indicate the way in which the leave contributes to their long-term employability.
    3. The employer will comply with the request, unless it conflicts with organisational interests. If that is the case, then a solution will be sought by possibly honouring the request for a different duration and/or in a different period.
    4. Outstanding days of holiday leave must be taken first, as far as possible, after which the remaining period is filled with unpaid leave.
    5. Employees are obliged to keep well informed of pension accrual, and partner and orphan pension, as well as other financial risks during the period of unpaid leave. If the pension scheme allows, employees can choose to continue accruing pension voluntarily during the period of unpaid leave, at their own cost.
    6. At the end of the period of unpaid leave, employees are entitled to return to a position that is at least equivalent to their previous one.
    7. During the period of unpaid leave, employees are prohibited from doing paid work for third parties, whether on a contract of employment or as a self-employed person, unless prior written agreements have been made about this with the employer.
    8. In the case of illness during the period of unpaid leave, in principle this period will not be interrupted or terminated. If the illness continues after the end of the leave period, entitlement to continued payment of the salary will commence from the first working day after the leave period.