1. Meal allowance

You may be eligible for a meal allowance during business meetings and trips or if you work overtime. If you pay for a meal during a business meeting, you may submit an expense claim for this. However, you are expected to exercise reasonable judgment. You can submit expense claims for meals through Self Service.

Different rules apply to expense claims for meals during business trips. Find our more on the business travel page.

If you work at least two hours overtime and the University does not provide a meal, you are eligible for an overtime meal allowance of up to €30,74. You can find more information on the webpage about Bonuses and allowances.

2. University emergency response team allowance

If you are a member of the University emergency response team, you bear extra responsibility alongside the responsibility in your regular post. You attend a couple of (emergency response) exercises and will receive a gross annual allowance for this. This can be as high as € 320, if you attend a minimum of 6 exercises. Furthermore, you may be eligible for the following additional allowances:

• If you wear breathing apparatus, you receive an extra gross allowance of € 135 per year.
• If you are the team leader of the emergency response team, you receive an extra gross allowance of € 120 per year.
• If you have been a member of the emergency response team for five years without interruption, you will receive an extra gross allowance of € 220 per year.

3. Computer glasses

If you use a screen for at least two hours per day and have difficulty seeing the screen despite wearing regular glasses or lenses, you may be eligible for an allowance for computer glasses and the cost of an eye examination by an optician.

Conditions

• The optician's examination must focus on the eyes in relation to computer work. Normal eye correction devices will not be reimbursed.
• The display screen glasses must be purchased from an optician.
• You receive a maximum of € 375 (including VAT) towards to the cost of computer glasses.
• You must submit an original invoice from the optician, which states that it is for display screen glasses. The invoice from the optician states the costs of the eye examination, the costs of the frame and the glasses.
• The invoice must be from the year in which the declaration is requested.
• Does an eye examination by an optician show that you need new display screen glasses sooner (than after three years)? Then you can - if the optician thinks it is required - within three years, reapply for reimbursement of both the computer glasses and the eye examination. 

University doctor

You will only need to visit the University doctor if your application exceeds the maximum of € 375, in which case you must take the results of your last eye examination with you to your appointment. The University doctor will need to provide a written statement confirming that these specific computer glasses are essential. Enclose the doctor’s statement with your claim.

For instructions about requesting the allowance please read this Knowledge Item.

4. Trade union membership fees contribution

In the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO) of Dutch Universities 2024-2025, the unions and employers agreed that an employee who has become a member of one of the unions involved in the collective labour agreement in September or October may apply for a trade union fee contribution of € 100,00.

Conditions for trade union contribution:

• You have become a member in the month of September or October
• This is the first time you have become a member of the union
• It is a membership for at least one year
• You have a letter from your union to confirm that you meet the three conditions listed above.

If you want to apply for the contribution to your union membership fees, please complete this form. You can find more information and instructions on how to apply in the helpdesk portal.

Please note: this is a different scheme from the allowance via the Terms of Employment Individual Choices Model, where the union contribution is offset against your holiday or end-of-year bonus. If you make use of both schemes, the amount of the allowance will be deducted from the amount to be offset from the individual choice model.