This is my first post, I'm hoping I'm putting it in the right place...
I'm an American who spent 11 years living in Ireland and moved to the Netherlands this past summer. I just got my residence permit last week. 
But, I'm finding some of the cultural differences difficult.
A couple of weeks ago we plowed up our fenced back garden in our privately owned house, intending to re-seed and landscape it when it's a little warmer. A few days later, my doorbell rang and two men in uniform from were wanting to talk to me because the neighbors had apparently complained because they don't like how it looks. Having uniformed officers show up at my door to tell me off about a fenced, privately owned BACK garden (no street access) in the process of being landscaped was quite a shock. I asked why I never got a letter and was told that "we prefer personal visits because letters make people feel bullied". Fair enough, cultural difference, I felt bullied by the visit but I'm not Dutch.
Then, this morning my Dutch partner called in sick to work at about 9 AM. At noon the bell rang....it was someone from Arbo checking up. He asked what (to me) were fairly personal questions...what was wrong, what medications had been taken, etc. My partner explained to me that it's meant to be helpful, and was quite surprised that I found it odd.
Now, I'm a very private person and this feels like a lot of intrusion to me. My partner has never lived anywhere but .NL and so he has no idea why any of this is strange to me. I'd really like to know if I can expect more unexpected visits from officials, but he can't really answer because none of this is "unexpected" to him.
So, can I expect more of this? Are there other officials who are likely to show up on my doorstep unannounced?
lilirose said:
I do have a dog that I brought over from Ireland and was not aware that I needed a license.
Depends on where you live. Some municipalities tax dog owners. Others don't. What city do you live?
lilirose said:
...but since they're probably going to want to put me through a round of testing now that I'm insured, what kinds of things can I expect?
I think you misunderstood. Arbo doctors only ask questions when you get sick leave from work. They are only interested in how your illness prevents you from doing your job. Insurance companies can do testing before they accept to insure you, but only for extra insurance. They are legally required to admit everyone to get basic insurance, regardless your health condition.
tuliper said:
Seems strange you can't be trusted to take a respite day off regardless if your passed out in bed or sitting by a race horse track .
Well, thats the point, right? If you want to go to horse racing, you should go on your days off.
I think its fairly normal, I saw same thing in Austria.
peony said:
tuliper said:
Seems strange you can't be trusted to take a respite day off regardless if your passed out in bed or sitting by a race horse track .
Well, thats the point, right? If you want to go to horse racing, you should go on your days off.I think its fairly normal, I saw same thing in Austria.
Peony, you really should consider getting a job with them, you seem to be so aligned with their ideas, I'll give you a good reference. You have sick time every year, what's wrong with taking a day off for whatever reason and why is it anyone's business if your entitled to a sick day and use it the way you want to.
tuliper said:
Peony, you really should consider getting a job with them, you seem to be so aligned with their ideas, I'll give you a good reference. You have sick time every year, what's wrong with taking a day off for whatever reason and why is it anyone's business if your entitled to a sick day and use it the way you want to.
How can you have 'sick time' every year ?
Most working people in NL have about 30 days paid personal holidays per year anyway....then there's national holidays.
It depends on your own work ethic,your job and how much your colleagues depend on you I suppose.
Personally,I don't call in sick unless I am just that - sick.
Generally speaking,people who phone in sick when they are not are usually regarded as shirkers.
So basically,although I don't particularly agree with the shirk police coming round(which they rarely do) it is someones business to see if people are actually sick - namely insurance companies,who have to pay a large part of the sick employees wages.
lilirose said:
Thanks, all. osita, thank you especially for the heads-up. I do have a dog that I brought over from Ireland and was not aware that I needed a license. klyparadox99, what kind of odd questions do you think I could expect at the doc? I have some chronic health issues and so far have had excellent care, considering that I wasn't able to get proper insurance until they approved my residence permit...but since they're probably going to want to put me through a round of testing now that I'm insured, what kinds of things can I expect?
Bah, consider that a fail when I said the doctor. I meant the arbo doc. I've never had inapproperiate dealings with the huisart, in fact, I don't think they ask enough questions. Arbo on the other hand? Ugh. (I'm sure I just manage to get ones with a grudge for not making huisart LOL).
The garden thing was just the local Gemeente type people doing their job which was .. following up on a 'complaint'.
You don't know which neighbor complained .. and maybe that neighbor was not around to see how bad the yard USED to be.
The Arbo doctor thingy has been explained .. they are just checking on you. They are very liberal on sick days here and yes, some people take advantege and pretend to be sick ... just so they can go play the ponies. That would be .. a lie. :(
That said, I have been sick, had a number of surgeries since I have been here and I have recieved letters to come in to the Arbo Doctor usually after several weeks. But no one has ever turned up on my front door step.
I think it gets down to what Arbo doctor your partner's company uses.
Either way .. the man was just doing his job. (Shrugs) Gosh, turn on the charm, serve him some coffee and answer his questions ... and be done with it.
I think you have to let these sorts of cultural things roll by or else ... you are in for a miserable life here.
tuliper said:
peony said:
tuliper said:
Seems strange you can't be trusted to take a respite day off regardless if your passed out in bed or sitting by a race horse track .
Well, thats the point, right? If you want to go to horse racing, you should go on your days off.I think its fairly normal, I saw same thing in Austria.
Peony, you really should consider getting a job with them, you seem to be so aligned with their ideas, I'll give you a good reference. You have sick time every year, what's wrong with taking a day off for whatever reason and why is it anyone's business if your entitled to a sick day and use it the way you want to.
Actually no, you don't have "sick time" every year. As mrfook pointed out, you have fixed vacation time (+ national holidays) off every year.If you want to go on a horse race then you take the time off.
You can call in sick if you are - sick. And then you can expect that someone might check on you since after all, you get paid even if you are sick. Work brings responsibility and basic part of that is coming to work. People like you are the reason that they come and check in the first place.
We have had this similar situation.
Dutch hubby put up a sign that visitors without an appointment will not be seen.
Where i grew up folks come to your door in Uniform with Photo id badges but here its different. It made me feel very unsafe that just anyone could turn up asking to come in they never seem content to chat you up at the door. So far its worked like a charm. Good luck.
My Dutchie broke his leg some years ago. He lived then on the 7th floor in a (old) flat without lifts. He couldn't bear taking care of his household chores, so he creeped to his parents' house 3 blocks away. He stayed with his parents during the sick leave. One day he got an angry call from Arbo shouting why they couldn't find him in his apartment. First Dutchie said he didn't know they were coming and gave them the address of his parents. The Arbo guy came by his parents' house, and misunderstanding was cleared. It's not the authority that they can check on you anytime they like that irritates people, it's their attitude.
A bit off the subject: You only need to pay a "pet" fee for dogs, not cats, gold fish, birds, tortoises, rabbits.....Probably because dogs have to go out for their necessary daily chores, which means they have to use public space.
HappyBird said:
One day he got an angry call from Arbo shouting why they couldn't find him in his apartment. First Dutchie said he didn't know they were coming and gave them the address of his parents.
When you buy into the whole "nanny state" dependency thing, you lose most of your independence and privacy. FYI ...
