What are your rights if you are dismissed or your contract is not renewed?
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If you are dismissed or your temporary contract expires without renewal, you have certain rights in the Netherlands. This article tells you what you are entitled to and what you can do.
You are entitled to a notice period
In the Netherlands, employment contracts almost always include a notice period. The notice period indicates how long your employer must give notice that your contract is ending. The length of the period of notice depends on:
How long you have been employed there
Whether you are still on probation
Agreements in your contract or collective labour agreement
You can also terminate your contract yourself. This is also subject to the notice period stated in your contract. If the notice period is 2 months, this means that you still have to work for 2 months after you terminate your contract.
Notice period during the probationary period
Are you still in your probationary period? Then you and your employer do not have to make use of a notice period. You can be fired immediately, and you can quit immediately as well.
Want to read more about employment contracts in the Netherlands?
In the Netherlands, employment contracts almost always include a notice period. The notice period indicates how long your employer must give notice that your contract is ending. The length of the period of notice depends on:
How long you have been employed there
Whether you are still on probation
Agreements in your contract or collective labour agreement
You can also terminate your contract yourself. This is also subject to the notice period stated in your contract. If the notice period is 2 months, this means that you still have to work for 2 months after you terminate your contract.
Notice period during the probationary period
Are you still in your probationary period? Then you and your employer do not have to make use of a notice period. You can be fired immediately, and you can quit immediately as well.
Want to read more about employement contracts in the Netherlands?
Notice period if you have a permanent contract
Do you have a permanent contract, i.e. a contract for an 'indefinite period'? Then your employer must follow the legal notice period. This looks as follows:
If you have been employed for less than 5 years, the notice period is 1 month.
If you have been employed for 5 to 10 years, the notice period is 2 months.
If you have been employed for 10 to 15 years, the notice period if 3 months.
If you have been employed for 15 years or more, your employer may make use of a 4-month notice period.
The notice period may be longer
Your employer may agree a longer notice period with you as an employee, but it must be in your contract.
The notice period can also be shorter
A shorter notice period is only permitted if it is in the
From the
Termination period in case of a temporary contract
Do you have a temporary contract, for example for 6 months or 1 year? Then your contract ends automatically on the end date.
Your employer does not have to make use of a notice period. However, they must comply with the notice period: they must let you know at least 1 month in advance whether your contract will be extended or not.
Your contract can sometimes end earlier
Your employer can only terminate earlier if this is in your contract. Does it not say so? Then the contract cannot be terminated earlier.
In the event of 'staande voet' (immediate) dismissal, your contract ends immediately. This is only permitted in urgent circumstances, such as theft or violence at work. In this case, no notice period applies and the contract ends immediately.