‘Modest’ optare not affected by new policy

There is no reason for workers at Wageningen UR to be afraid that the new national regulations on work-related costs will affect their fringe benefits. So says Erik van der Wilk of Corporate Human Resources. Since 1 January, staff outings, Christmas boxes and other fringe benefits for employees must not come to more than 1.2 percent of their total gross income, the ministry of Finance has laid down. For staff in some sectors that represents quite a loss, but not for Wageningen UR. ‘Unlike other employees, Wageningen UR did not have extravagant provision for things like staff outings,’ says Van der Wilk. Fringe benefits for Wageningen staff do not come to more than the stipulated 1.2 percent. He therefore sees no reason to change the Optare package of flexible fringe benefits.