Strengthening the human touch in social security enforcement
Paulien de Winter's research deals with the perspective of implementers, specifically enforcement specialists (supervisors, boa domain V, fine officials), in the new legislative changes in the social security enforcement system in the Netherlands. Since the introduction of the Fraud Act, enforcement of social security legislation has been known to be highly repressive. The method of enforcement has been under discussion since the Surcharges affair and the human touch has become more central.
De Winter has received a grant from the Gratama Foundation to enable small-scale scientific projects initiated by the University of Groningen. In her research, De Winter looks in particular at the views of enforcement specialists on the difficulties and opportunities that enforcement specialists experience in their daily work. She poses the question: how, according to enforcement specialists, can the human measure in the enforcement of the obligations of the Participation Act be strengthened in practice?
This research question will be answered using three research methods: a group discussion with enforcement specialists, a national questionnaire administered to enforcement specialists, and in-depth interviews with some of them. After that, De Winter will write an accessible research report in the form of a book. A podcast with several episodes on the subject will also be recorded, where enforcement specialists and experts will interact. The research will conclude with a national symposium where all research findings will be presented. The entire research project is supported by the Department of Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and Public Administration.
Duration of the project
2023 - 2024
Awarded grant
18,072 euros, obtained from the Gratama Foundation
Contact person at our Faculty
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| Last modified: | 08 July 2024 2.57 p.m. |