You disagree with the company doctor. Should you request a second opinion or a UWV expert opinion? They look similar, but work very differently — and the wrong choice can cost you time and money.
A second opinion is your right under art. 14 paragraph 2 of the Working Conditions Act. You request it through your company doctor, who refers you to another company doctor. It is free for you — the employer pays. The second opinion is purely medical: another doctor gives their assessment of your limitations and capacity.
A UWV expert opinion (deskundigenoordeel) is requested directly from UWV and costs you €100. UWV assesses a specific question: is the offered work suitable? Is the employee cooperating sufficiently? Are the reintegration efforts adequate? It is broader than the second opinion and carries more weight in legal proceedings.
Best for purely medical disagreements: you believe the company doctor underestimates your limitations, overlooks symptoms, or has not examined you properly. The second opinion gives you another medical perspective without immediately escalating to UWV.
Best for disputes about suitable work, cooperation or reintegration quality. If your employer threatens a salary stop because you refuse offered work, a UWV expert opinion gives you an independent assessment that carries weight in court.
You can request a second opinion first and, if the dispute continues, follow up with a UWV expert opinion. They are not mutually exclusive. In complex cases, both can strengthen your position.
A second opinion takes 2-4 weeks on average. A UWV expert opinion can take 4-8 weeks or longer. Factor this into your decision: if your salary has been stopped, you may not have weeks to wait.
They cannot simply refuse. Your right to a second opinion is statutory. The company doctor may only refuse in exceptional circumstances and must provide written reasons. If your company doctor refuses, put your request in writing and send it to your employer as well.
Practical workaround: if the second opinion route is blocked, go directly to UWV for an expert opinion. That route is always available and does not require the company doctor's cooperation.
Document the refusal: a company doctor who refuses a second opinion without valid grounds acts in violation of the Working Conditions Act. This can be relevant if the dispute escalates to court.
Your employer. The second opinion is free for you. The company doctor refers you to another company doctor within a pre-agreed pool. You do not choose the doctor yourself, but the second opinion doctor must be independent from the company doctor service used by your employer.
Formally, no. But in practice, courts assign significant weight to UWV expert opinions. If UWV concludes that the offered work was not suitable, a salary stop based on refusal of that work is very difficult for the employer to maintain in court.
Yes. Both employer and employee can request one. You apply via UWV's website, pay €100, and UWV assesses the specific question you submit. For the full process, see our step-by-step guide to requesting a UWV expert opinion.
The outcome is not binding — neither party is obligated to follow it. But an unfavourable expert opinion weakens your position significantly. Before requesting one, assess whether the likely outcome supports your position. If in doubt, consult a legal professional first.
MediRights helps employees who are stuck in a dispute about medical assessments during sick leave.
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