People claiming unemployment or partial incapacity benefit will no longer be exempt from applying for jobs if they do volunteer work, social affairs minister Henk Kamp announced on Thursday.

The ruling will come into effect at the beginning of next year.
Kamp said an evaluation of the exemption scheme showed that doing voluntary work did not increase the person’s chance of finding paid employment.
Unemployment benefit claimants may continue to do volunteer work as long as it does not stop them applying for jobs, the minister said.
Between 2006 and 2008, some 5,110 people were given a formal exemption from applying for jobs. Of these, 50% had to deal with a family disaster, illness or caring for a family member and 50% did volunteer work, news agency ANP reported.