Dismissal & leaving
From the first dismissal discussion to the end date, compensation and final settlement.
To the articlesGuides within this theme
10 / 61Dismissal: your rights, the procedure and practical first steps
A detailed guide to dismissal through UWV or the court, protection against dismissal, responding, payments and your first steps when your job is at risk.
Read the guidePractical guideChecking a settlement agreement: payment, WW and conditions
Read a settlement agreement step by step: end date, payment, illness, WW, cooling-off period, full and final settlement and arrangements after leaving.
Read the guidePractical guideSummary dismissal: deadlines, your response and income
What to do immediately after summary dismissal: record the reason, protect the two-month deadline, gather evidence and address wages and WW.
Read the guidePractical guideDismissal for poor performance: improvement process and response
What must an employer substantiate when alleging poor performance? Read about clear objectives, support, training, redeployment and responding to a file.
Read the guidePractical guideDismissal during pregnancy: what is and is not allowed?
Protection during pregnancy, leave, temporary contracts and probation. Learn which facts and deadlines matter when dismissal may be prohibited.
Read the guidePractical guideCalculating notice periods: employee, employer and end date
Work out how notice interacts with your contract, cao, service length and notification date, with calendar-month explanations and practical examples.
Read the guidePractical guideTermination by mutual agreement: from proposal to departure
What happens after the first termination proposal? Prepare discussions, compare alternatives and plan signing, the cooling-off period and settlement.
Read the guidePractical guideRestructuring and dismissal: selection, redeployment and your response
What to check in a redundancy dismissal: necessity, selection rules, suitable jobs, a social plan, UWV and compensation.
Read the guidePractical guideSocial plan during restructuring: check entitlements and choices
Read a social plan with a purpose: scope, compensation, redeployment, training, voluntary departure, hardship provisions and your individual VSO.
Read the guidePractical guideResigning: notice, end date and income risks
What to check before resigning: fixed-term contracts, notice, a new job, WW, illness, restrictions and final accounts.
Read the guideTools for this theme
Understand the statutory calculation and identify which pay components or years of service you still need to check.
See the statutory default and a month-end worked example, with separate guidance for different contractual arrangements.
Prioritise specific discussion points before signing an employment termination agreement.
Calculate a basic date 14 or 21 calendar days later and prepare a worksheet for written withdrawal.
Perspective on this theme
Time to reconsider dismissal is essential
Editorial opinion: a dismissal settlement deserves understandable documents, independent assessment and time to decide without unnecessary pressure.
Read the argumentA non-compete clause must protect a specific interest
Editorial opinion: restrict freedom of movement only for a demonstrable business interest, with suitable duration, clear scope and timely consideration.
Read the argumentAI at work needs organised challenge
Editorial opinion: algorithmic assessment and planning deserve explanation, checks on context and a genuinely usable route to challenge decisions.
Read the argumentSources and editorial notes
This overview links to our guides, opinion articles and tools. Each substantive piece lists the sources used for it.
- Publisher: RijksoverheidRijksoverheid: arbeidsovereenkomst en caorijksoverheid.nlhttps://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/arbeidsovereenkomst-en-cao
- Publisher: RechtspraakRechtspraak: ontslagproceduresrechtspraak.nlhttps://www.rechtspraak.nl/onderwerpen/ontslag/verzoekschriftprocedure-werknemer
- Publisher: Arboportaal · Ministerie van SZWArboportaal: arbeidsomstandighedenarboportaal.nlhttps://www.arboportaal.nl/
The source publications are in Dutch. All language editions cover Dutch law.