Leave Policies in The Netherlands

Mandatory Leave Policies in the Netherlands

The annual leave entitlement in the Netherlands is a minimum of 20 days for a full-time worker. These are in addition to public holidays, which are typically unpaid unless otherwise specified in employment contracts or collective agreements.

Public Holidays in the Netherlands

The employees in the Netherlands obtain 9 public holidays per year. The Netherlands has the following national holidays:

Types of Leave in the Netherlands

Paid Time Off

A full-time employee in the Netherlands receives 20 days of paid annual leave each year, and this can be increased to anything between 25 and 32 days.

Any remaining leave from the previous year must be utilized by the end of June, and the employer is obligated to inform the employee of its expiration, although this requirement applies only to the statutory minimum number of days. Non-statutory leave expires after 5 years.

Maternity Leave

Pregnant employees are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave (generally 6 weeks before and 10 weeks after), which includes a compulsory 4-week leave period. The employer covers this leave at 100% of the employee's daily wage. In the case of multiple births, the paid maternity leave is extended to 20 weeks.

If the employee remains unable to work due to pregnancy or childbirth, the maternity leave can be prolonged. Employers initially make the payment and later seek reimbursement through the UWV. Maternity leave typically consists of two periods:

• Prenatal Leave: The employee is required to take 4-6 weeks of leave before the expected due date.
• Postnatal Leave: The remaining 10-12 weeks must be taken after the child's birth, allowing the employee to rest.

Paternity Leave

The spouse or partner of an employee who recently gave birth gets 1 week of paid 'birth leave' to be taken within the first four weeks after childbirth. This is paid at 100% by the employer. They also have the right to take 'short absence leave' for the actual birth.

Additionally, they can take an Extended Partner Leave for 5 weeks, but it is unpaid. However, they might be eligible to receive compensation of up to 70% of their last earned salary from the UWV.

Sick Leave

If an employee is unable to work due to illness, the employer must provide compensation of at least 70% of their last earned salary, including holiday allowance, for a duration of 2 years. This is often outlined in employment contracts with details such as:

• The employer will pay 70% or 100% of the employee's full salary (the amount is not capped) for the 1st year of illness
• The employer will pay 70% of the employee's salary (the amount can be capped) during the 2nd year of illness

Parental Leave

Parents with children under 8 years old are eligible for parental leave of 26 times their weekly working hours. The initial 9 weeks are paid by the UWV at 70% of their usual salary and should be taken within the first year of the child's life. The subsequent 17 weeks are unpaid.

This arrangement can be negotiated and distributed over the 8-year period, with leave allocated for each child.

Adoption Leave

Parents intending to adopt or foster a child are entitled to a maximum of 6 weeks of leave. This leave can be taken in a continuous period or distributed over the initial 26 weeks after the child arrives at their home. A notice of 3 weeks must be given before taking this leave, and during this time, adoption allowance can be applied for through the UWV.

Care Leave

Employees can opt for leave to care for an ailing family member through three provisions: Emergency Leave, a one-day, paid leave for unforeseen urgent matters; Short-term Care Leave, allowing up to double the weekly working time for 2 weeks, with the employer covering 70% of their salary; and Long-term Care Leave, offering up to six times the weekly working time for 6 weeks, albeit unpaid.

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Best Practices for Implementing Leave Policies in the Netherlands

 
• Ensure compliance with Dutch labor laws.
 
• Communicate leave policies clearly to employees.
 
• Plan for coverage during employee absences.
 
• Encourage work-life balance by supporting leave entitlements.

Providing Leave Benefits in the Netherlands With an EOR

A competitive compensation package is critical to attract and retain the best talent, but every country different regulations, customs and expectations. That’s the advantage of using a trusted Employer of Record like Playroll to manage benefits for your global team. They can:

• ‍Handle the benefits admin: Playroll ensures compliant contracts with built-in statutory checks. Add region-specific premium benefits, while we handle administration and employee claims. Manage leave, expenses, and more – all in one easy dashboard.
• ‍Run global payroll: An EOR will act as your payroll provider, paying your employees on your behalf in the local currency. The company will also have in-depth knowledge of local tax codes, regulatory practices, and everything else that goes into managing global payroll.
• ‍Alleviate compliance concerns: Different countries each have their own federal and local laws governing employee payments. An EOR helps ensure that you are compliant with the unique set of laws for any country in which your company operates. This is extremely important since a compliance slip-up can result in heavy fines or even a lawsuit.