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Explainer videos

Legal aid for employment disputes: what do you pay?

An employment dispute may require legal help quickly. Looking for a pro deo employment lawyer usually means seeking help through a Dutch legal aid grant, called a toevoeging. Do not assume the help will be entirely free.

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Settlement agreement: checks and cooling-off period

A settlement agreement records arrangements for ending your employment. Read the entire proposal before accepting. The end date, income afterwards and compensation must suit your circumstances.

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Transition payment: check entitlement before calculating

A calculator starts with amounts, but first establish whether you are entitled to a transition payment. This is often the case when the employer initiates dismissal or does not renew a contract. Exceptions exist.

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Dismissal during illness: distinguish three situations

If you receive a termination notice while ill, establish whether it concerns dismissal, expiry of a fixed-term contract, or a proposal to end employment by agreement. These situations affect pay, protection and benefits differently.

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Unpaid wages: what should you do first?

If your salary has not been paid, list what was due and what was received for each pay period. Use your contract, payslips, hours and bank statements. This distinguishes a payment mistake from disagreement about entitlement.

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Summary dismissal: respond immediately

With summary dismissal, the employer states that your contract ends immediately. There must be a valid urgent reason, communicated immediately. An accusation does not automatically make the dismissal valid.

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Late contract-renewal notice: notice compensation

For a fixed-term contract lasting at least six months, a notification duty generally applies. The employer must state in writing whether the contract will continue. This differs from a notice period or a promise of permanent employment.

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Non-compete clauses: check before changing jobs

A non-compete clause may restrict where or what work you can do after leaving. Read the signed text before starting a new job. Check the activities, period and geographical area covered.

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Holiday entitlement: expiry, limitation and taking leave

Start with a yearly breakdown of holiday hours. Separate statutory leave from additional contractual leave: different time limits apply. A total on your payslip does not show which hours need checking or using first.

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Successive contracts: when does temporary work become permanent?

If you have had several fixed-term contracts, create a timeline of start dates, end dates, gaps and employers. Counting signed documents alone does not establish whether your employment has become permanent.

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UWV expert opinion: which question should you ask?

If you disagree about reintegration, a UWV expert opinion can advise on a specific question. Write down precisely where the disagreement lies, rather than submitting only a general account of a conflict.

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On-call work: check calls, cancellations and hours

On-call workers can have different contracts, such as zero-hours, minimum–maximum hours or preliminary agreements. Read the hours and pay arrangements. Your rights for a shift depend on more than the label on-call worker.

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Maternity leave: planning, applying and income

For a single birth, pregnancy and maternity leave together generally last at least sixteen weeks. The calculation depends on the expected and actual birth dates. Use a plan that can be adjusted later if needed.

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Employer insolvency: what happens to your wages?

Non-payment may be temporary or reflect lasting inability to pay, for example bankruptcy, sometimes even without a court decision. Seek clarity and keep payslips, messages and records of missing payments.

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False self-employment: examine the actual work

Calling a contract self-employed does not alone decide whether you are an employee. The real working relationship matters. Record how assignments, hours, payment and daily cooperation actually operate.

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