Companies that do not employ enough handicapped people will be liable to a fine from 2017, junior social affairs minister Jetta Klijnsma told parliament on Tuesday.

As part of the social agreement thrashed out by the coalition and three ‘friendly’ opposition parties, government, employers and unions agreed to create 100,000 jobs by 2026 for people with disabilities.

Klijnsma is now adding an amendment to that agreement that if progress is not made by 2017, companies will be fined €5,000 for each unfilled place.

The minister told the Nos she hopes employers will keep to the agreement and the fine will not be necessary.

This weekend Hans de Boer, the new head of the employers organisation VNO-NCW criticised the government’s decision to scrap sheltered work schemes and move people with disabilities into the regular workforce.