Successive contracts: when does temporary work become permanent?

Successive contracts: when does temporary work become permanent? General information.

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.

Temporary employment can automatically become permanent after more than three fixed-term contracts or more than three years of temporary work. Conditions and exceptions apply, so check more than the number or duration alone.

Under the main rule, contracts are connected if the gap is no more than six months. A collective agreement may provide different rules in certain situations. Record actual dates and have the applicable agreement and exceptions checked.

Employment with a successor employer can count, for example agency work followed by direct employment doing the same work. A different company name does not automatically restart every calculation.

The flexible-work legislation contains changes with a later start date. For the changes discussed here, government mentions January twenty twenty-eight. Do not replace current rules with future periods; check transitional provisions later too.

If you believe your contract has become permanent, request an assessment promptly. Keep contracts, payslips and messages about the end date. The successive-contracts guide helps you complete the timeline.

Read the full explanation and sources on Employment Law in the Netherlands. Have someone assess which rules apply to your situation.