Employee Benefits in Netherlands
Primary employee benefits in Netherlands, including entitlements and protections, are mandatory according to Dutch law. Secondary employee benefits are variable and are typically stipulated by a specific collective labor agreement (COA).
If a worker has a job not covered by a COA, any secondary employee benefits are offered at the employer’s discretion. Such benefits will be outlined in the employment contract.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS IN NETHERLANDS
Compensation
An employee in the Netherlands is entitled to be paid at least the legal minimum wage. There is a standard minimum wage and a youth minimum wage which applies to employees between the ages of 15-21 years.
Depending on the employer, earnings may be paid weekly, bi-weekly, monthly (12 x per year) or once every four weeks (13 x per year). Most larger Dutch companies pay employees monthly.
Holiday Pay
Holiday pay is one of the mandatory employee benefits in Netherlands. Legally it must be a minimum of 8% of an employee’s annual salary. This works out to approximately 4 times the average number of days worked in a standard week. An employee who works 5 full days per week would be entitled to 20 full days of holiday pay at the end of a year.
Mandatory holiday pay is accrued during the year. When an employee leaves a company they must receive the holiday pay they have accrued up through their date of departure.
Working Conditions
There are strict rules governing the number of hours an employee can be made to work. In general, a work period should not be longer than 10 hours and a work week should not be longer than 45 hours. A minimum of eleven hours of rest must be given in between work shifts and at least one 36-consecutive hour rest period once per week.
More information about working conditions in Netherlands.
Work Safety
Employees are entitled to a safe and healthy work environment. In job environments where there is high potential for injury, the employer must provide protective wear free of charge. In these situations, the employee is obligated to wear the protective clothing.
Equal Treatment
Dutch law prohibits unequal treatment of staff in terms of hiring, employment benefits or dismissal related to the candidate/employee’s…
- religion
- personal conviction
- political leanings
- race
- gender
- sexual orientation
- marital status
- working hours (full or part time)
- handicap or chronic illness
- contract type (permanent or temporary)
- age
Equal Compensation
Dutch law mandates that equal pay must be given for equal work. However amount of experience and longevity in a position may result in a different rate of pay for employees in the same or similar roles.
For more information about employee rights and obligations in Netherlands, see the Werk.nl website.
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