Common Secondary Benefits in the Netherlands

You have searched, sent CV’s, and been interviewed until your brain hurts, and now you have finally secured the perfect job. Congratulations! After the excitement wears off, it is time to start going over the contracts and salary, which can be a bit overwhelming. Along with the payment you will receive, comes several benefits that the Dutch Labour Laws provide. These are agreed upon through Collective Bargaining Agreement (CAO) between employers and various trade unions. It is important to go over your contract before signing to ensure everything iscorrect, and to consult legal counsel if anything stands out as a concern. Here are some benefits that should be expected within your contract according to Dutch Law:

Healthcare Allowance: Everyone in the Netherlands is required to have basic health insurance, with expats given a time limit of four months to get this set up after moving. Your employer should pay for a part of it, and the nominal fee (the other part), will be paid by the employee. Usually you can expect around €100 a month for a basic package.

Holiday: Dutch law requires employees to receive at least 4 weeks (20 days) of paid holiday per year, though most companies in the Netherlands will do at least 25. In addition to holiday, there are seven public holidays: New Year, Easter, Kings Day, Ascension Day, Pentecostal Day, Christmas, and Boxing Day. Some companies are also closed on Good Friday and Liberation Day (May 5th).

Holiday Pay: As an employee in the Netherlands, you are allowed a holiday allowance on top of leave time. This is 8% of your income including basic wage, bonuses, and allowance; and is usually paid out in May or June.

Maternity Leave:Every woman in the Netherlands receives at least 16 weeks of paid maternity leave with six weeks before the baby is born and 10 weeks after, no matter the due date. For fathers, 2 days of paid paternity leave is required after your partner has given birth.

Additional Leave: Additional leave goes beyond basic holiday and many occasions fall under this category. Things like weddings, funerals, emergencies, long-term and short-term compassionate leave are accepted under additional leave. You can also expect adoption leave, parental leave (different from paternity or maternity leave), and GP visits.

Part Time Work: In the late 2000’s the Dutch government passed a law giving men and women the right to ask for a job to be part-time. Unless you have less than 10 people working in the office, or there are serious business related reasons why the employer cannot offer that, it is a requirement that they are obliged to meet.

Unemployment: Hopefully, this subject will never concern you. However, if this is the case and you werenot responsible for being fired, you may qualify for unemployment benefits. This will provide you with around 70% of your previous salary and is provided by the governmental institution, UWV. Of course there are criteria in order to receive this. If you have worked in 26 of the 36 previous weeks, you are entitled to the basic benefits package, which lasts three months. Whether you can extend past three months depends on how many years you have worked.

Ashley Herbert