Employment law: what you are entitled to, and where it goes wrong in practice

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Dutch employment law protects employees more strongly than many newcomers expect, but almost every protection is tied to a deadline. If you have been dismissed, have received a settlement agreement (vaststellingsovereenkomst) or are not being paid, the time to act is measured in weeks, not months. Our employment lawyers advise employees and employers in English, Turkish, Polish and Dutch.

Can my employer simply dismiss me?

No. In the Netherlands an employer needs both a statutory ground and a permitted route. The grounds are listed exhaustively in Article 7:669 of the Dutch Civil Code. The route depends on the ground: dismissal for economic reasons or after long-term incapacity runs through the UWV (Article 7:671a), all other grounds run through the subdistrict court (Article 7:671b). Both routes can be replaced by termination with mutual consent.

I received a settlement agreement. How long do I have?

You have fourteen days to withdraw your signature without giving reasons, and three weeks if the employer failed to mention that right in the agreement. This reflection period is laid down in Article 7:670b of the Dutch Civil Code. Do not sign on the day you receive the proposal. The wording determines whether you keep your unemployment benefit (WW): the agreement should state that the employer took the initiative and that you are not culpable.

Am I entitled to a transition payment?

Where your employer gives notice, asks the court to dissolve the contract, or does not continue a fixed-term contract on its own initiative, yes — from the first day of employment. The entitlement follows from Article 7:673 of the Dutch Civil Code: one third of a monthly salary per year of service, pro rata for part years, capped at € 102,000 gross in 2026 or one gross annual salary if that is higher. Under a settlement agreement the contract ends by mutual consent, so the statutory entitlement does not arise automatically and the amount is negotiated — in practice at least the statutory level is usually agreed.

I was dismissed on the spot. What now?

Act immediately: you have two months to bring the matter to court. Summary dismissal (ontslag op staande voet) requires an urgent cause, immediate dismissal and immediate notification of that cause (Article 7:677 and Article 7:678). All three requirements must be met, which is why such dismissals often do not survive review. The two-month limitation period in Article 7:686a(4) is a strict deadline: once it has passed, the dismissal stands even if it was unlawful.

My employer is not paying my wages

You can claim the arrears, a statutory increase of up to 50% and statutory interest. Article 7:625 of the Dutch Civil Code provides for an increase of up to half of the amount owed when the employer pays late, and Article 6:119 adds statutory interest. If you are ill, the employer must in principle continue to pay at least 70% of your wages for up to 104 weeks (Article 7:629).

What we do for employees and employers

Reviewing and negotiating settlement agreements, including the WW and pension consequences
Challenging dismissal, summary dismissal and dismissal during illness
Claims for unpaid wages, holiday pay and the statutory increase
Non-compete and non-solicitation clauses
Fixed-term contracts, the chain rule and agency work
Long-term incapacity, reintegration and UWV wage sanctions
Drafting employment contracts and building performance files for employers

Employment law articles in English

Discuss your situation

The first conversation is free of charge and confidential. We will tell you where you stand, which deadlines are running and what the realistic options are. Call +31 70 450 0300 or request a review.