Assessment of work potential
When an employee has been absent for a prolonged period, one crucial question often arises: is reintegration possible or not? An assessment of work potential from 8 weeks of absence provides a clear and professional answer to this question.
Do you want to know whether reintegration is feasible after 8 weeks of incapacity for work?
Have your employee’s work potential assessed accurately and objectively.
Schedule the assessment through MyMensura.
Why request an assessment of work potential?
- An assessment of work potential helps prevent unrealistic expectations—for both employer and employee.
- You gain clarity on the feasibility of reintegration.
- You know whether starting a reintegration process is meaningful.
- You want to start a reintegration process but do not have the employee’s consent.
- You avoid unnecessary or unviable processes.
- You create transparency for all parties involved.
What is an assessment of work potential?
An assessment of work potential determines whether a long-term absent employee has sufficient possibilities to return to work, either in adapted duties or in another role. An assessment of work potential must be requested for employees who have been absent for at least 8 weeks.
At its core, the assessment answers one key question: Is there a real prospect of successful reintegration?
The outcome is a clear conclusion:
There is work potential, and an informal or formal reintegration process can be started
Or: there is no work potential, and a reintegration process is not recommended
If the assessment of work potential is positive, employers with 20 or more employees are required to start an informal or formal reintegration process within 6 months after the start of the employee’s illness.
How does Mensura help in practice?
Contact with the employee
After the request is submitted, we contact your employee by phone, email, or if necessary by post. Using a scientific questionnaire developed by the competent government authority, we assess the employee’s work potential.
Communication of the result
We communicate a clear conclusion, work potential or no work potential, to both you and your employee. Following a positive assessment of work potential, employers with 20 or more employees must start an informal or formal reintegration process.
Frequently asked questions
Am I, as an employer, obliged to request an assessment of work potential for an absent employee?
As an employer, you are required to request an assessment of the work capacity for employees who have been continuously incapacitated for work for more than eight weeks since January 1, 2026.
If you, as an employer, wish to initiate a reintegration trajectory without the consent of your employee, an assessment of the work capacity is always required. Do you have the (documented) consent of your employee to start a reintegration trajectory? Then an assessment of the work capacity is not necessary.
How can I request an assessment of work potential?
You can easily request this assessment via MyMensura, our client portal.
When can I request an assessment of work potential?
You can request an assessment of work potential from Mensura once the employee has been absent for 8 weeks.
Does this mean you must immediately request such an assessment for all employees who have been incapacitated for eight weeks?
No, not necessarily. You can submit a request after eight weeks of continuous incapacity for work, but it does not have to be done exactly after those eight weeks. You therefore have some margin of discretion.
Please note: a reintegration trajectory must be started within six months after the start of the absence if there is work capacity (organizations with 20+ employees).
Therefore, request the work capacity assessment no later than after four months of absence. This ensures sufficient administrative time and allows you, in case of a positive assessment, to still start a reintegration trajectory within the 6-month period.
What if there is no work potential?
In that case, we recommend maintaining close contact with the employee and reassessing at a later stage when it may be appropriate to start a reintegration process.
What if my employee does not respond to Mensura’s invitation?
Mensura will attempt to contact the employee twice. If there is no response after two attempts, the process is closed and, by default, there is no work potential.
Am I, as an employer, obliged to request an assessment of work potential for an absent employee?
As an employer, you are required to request an assessment of the work capacity for employees who have been continuously incapacitated for work for more than eight weeks since January 1, 2026.
If you, as an employer, wish to initiate a reintegration trajectory without the consent of your employee, an assessment of the work capacity is always required. Do you have the (documented) consent of your employee to start a reintegration trajectory? Then an assessment of the work capacity is not necessary.
How can I request an assessment of work potential?
You can easily request this assessment via MyMensura, our client portal.
When can I request an assessment of work potential?
You can request an assessment of work potential from Mensura once the employee has been absent for 8 weeks.
Does this mean you must immediately request such an assessment for all employees who have been incapacitated for eight weeks?
No, not necessarily. You can submit a request after eight weeks of continuous incapacity for work, but it does not have to be done exactly after those eight weeks. You therefore have some margin of discretion.
Please note: a reintegration trajectory must be started within six months after the start of the absence if there is work capacity (organizations with 20+ employees).
Therefore, request the work capacity assessment no later than after four months of absence. This ensures sufficient administrative time and allows you, in case of a positive assessment, to still start a reintegration trajectory within the 6-month period.
What if there is no work potential?
In that case, we recommend maintaining close contact with the employee and reassessing at a later stage when it may be appropriate to start a reintegration process.
What if my employee does not respond to Mensura’s invitation?
Mensura will attempt to contact the employee twice. If there is no response after two attempts, the process is closed and, by default, there is no work potential.
Mensura helps you
Mensura offers a variety of products and services to boost well-being and health and safety in your organisation. From the legally required to the incredibly useful.