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Leave in the Netherlands
Maternity, paternity, and parental leave in the Netherlands
Adoption leave in the Netherlands
Other leave in the Netherlands
Public holidays in Netherlands
Protect your employees and your business
Leave and time off in the Netherlands
Every country has different requirements for the paid and unpaid time off that employers have to grant to their employees. In the Netherlands, paid time off is defined by labour laws and the collective labour agreements (CAO) that apply to employees. These might give employees more annual leave than the statutory minimum. Many employers in the Netherlands choose to set their own leave policy, which can be more generous.
If you want to hire employees in the Netherlands, you’ll need to know what paid and unpaid leave they are entitled to so you can protect their statutory rights. In this guide, we’ll take you through the different types of leave that employees have access to in the Netherlands, including annual leave, sick leave and all types of parental leave. We’ll also talk about some additional types of leave that employers in the Netherlands can choose to include in their company leave policy.
Leave in the Netherlands
Employees in the Netherlands are entitled to four weeks of paid holiday every year. This is worked out based on the number of hours they normally work in a week, so a full-time employee working 40 hours a week is entitled to 160 hours (or 20 days) of annual leave. A part-time employee working three days a week would be entitled to 12 days’ leave, which is the equivalent of four weeks of work.
If an employee hasn’t taken some of their statutory leave by the end of the year, they can take it until the end of June in the following year. After this date, the leave will expire. Employers are only obliged to let their employees carry over statutory leave. That means that, if you provide your Dutch employees with additional annual leave, you don’t have to let them carry it into the next year.
Holiday allowance in the Netherlands
In addition to paid leave, employees in the Netherlands have the right to an additional holiday allowance. This is an extra payment of at least 8% of their annual salary, which is usually paid in May or June. Employers don’t have to pay the holiday allowance to employees earning more than three times the minimum wage.
Paying out leave in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, employers are only allowed to ‘pay out’ employees’ statutory leave when they leave the company. This means paying your employees for days they would have taken as leave. Employers can pay out non-statutory leave instead of the employee taking time off, but only if the employee agrees. When an employee leaves your company, you have to pay them any statutory and non-statutory leave that they haven’t used.
Sick leave in the Netherlands
Businesses in the Netherlands are required to continue paying their employees if they are too sick to work. Employees can get paid time off work for sickness for a maximum of two years. During this time, employers have to pay 70% of the employee’s last earned salary. If this amount is less than the minimum wage, they have to top it up to at least the minimum wage for the first year. Many employers in the Netherlands have a sick leave policy that provides for 100% of salary in the first year of sickness, and 70% in the second year.
Other statutory leave entitlements in the Netherlands
Statutory leave entitlements are set out in the Work and Care Act, which grants employees the right to:
- Pregnancy and maternity leave
- Partner/paternity leave
- Parental leave
- Adoption leave or foster care leave
- Short- and long-term care leave
- Emergency leave
Holiday entitlement while taking leave in the Netherlands
When an employee in the Netherlands is taking leave, they continue to build up holiday entitlement. Employers are not allowed to deduct days taken as leave from an employee’s holiday balance unless the employee has a holiday entitlement of at least four times the number of days they work in a week. In this case, employers can only deduct days if it has been agreed in the collective labour agreement that applies.
Setting your leave policy in the Netherlands
Companies in the Netherlands can set their own leave policy, which could provide more generous leave than the amounts mentioned above. However, employers must provide at least the minimum amount of leave as defined by Dutch labour law and any collective labour agreement that applies. For example, many Dutch employers choose to give their employees 25 or even 32 days of paid leave per year, instead of the statutory minimum of 20 days.
Maternity, paternity, and parental leave in the Netherlands
Maternity and paternity leave in the Netherlands is time that employees can take off work when they or their partner has a baby. Employees in the Netherlands can also take parental leave at any time before their child’s eighth birthday.
Pregnancy and maternity leave in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, employees are entitled to leave when they have a baby. This is split into two parts:
- 6 weeks pregnancy leave
- 10 weeks maternity leave
Pregnancy leave can begin 4–6 weeks before the employee’s due date, and maternity leave begins on the day of the birth. If an employee takes less than six weeks of pregnancy leave, they can add the balance to their maternity leave. Pregnant employees have to take at least four weeks’ leave before their baby is born.
Employees are also entitled to paid leave when they have a medical check-up related to pregnancy during working hours, as stated in the Working Hours Act.
Maternity leave for self-employed contractors in the Netherlands
Freelancers and self-employed professionals are also entitled to paid maternity leave in the Netherlands, under the Maternity Benefit Scheme for the Self-Employed (Zelfstandig en Zwangerregeling, ZEZ). Under this scheme, self-employed people in the Netherlands can apply for 16 weeks of ZEZ maternity pay, which is based on their income for the last calendar year. ZEZ maternity pay is capped at 100% of the statutory gross minimum wage.
Paternity leave in the Netherlands
Employees in the Netherlands are entitled to one week of paid paternity leave when their partner gives birth, which they can take any time in the first four weeks after the birth. Paternity leave in the Netherlands is sometimes called ‘partner leave’ because it also applies to same-sex partners of birthing parents.
In addition to this one week of paternity leave, employees can take up to five weeks of extended paternity leave within the first six months after their partner gives birth. This can be taken in one block or in several shorter stints if their employer agrees.
Pay for maternity and paternity leave in the Netherlands
Employees on maternity leave are paid via the maternity benefit, which employers can apply for on their behalf. Employers in the Netherlands usually make the initial payment and then claim the amount back from the Employee Insurance Agency (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen).
Paternity leave is paid by the employer for one week, at 100% of the employee’s normal salary. Extended paternity leave is usually unpaid, but employees who take it can claim up to 70% of their usual wages from the Employee Insurance Agency.
Unpaid and paid parental leave in the Netherlands
In addition to these entitlements, all parents in the Netherlands are entitled to up to 26 weeks of parental leave, which can be taken any time before their child’s eighth birthday. The first nine weeks of this leave are paid by the Employee Insurance Agency at up to 70% of the employee’s salary as long as they are taken within the first year of the birth. The remaining 17 weeks are unpaid unless the employee’s collective labour agreement says otherwise.
Adoption leave in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, parents are entitled to six weeks of adoption or foster leave when they adopt or foster a child. This applies to both parents, though they don’t have to take the leave at the same time. In the case of adoption, this leave is only guaranteed if the court has pronounced the adoption. Foster carers can take leave as long as the child is registered at their address. This leave can be taken in one block or spread out over a period of up to 26 weeks.
Arranging adoption leave in the Netherlands
Employees who want to take adoption leave in the Netherlands must request it from their employer at least three weeks before they want the leave to start. When they apply, they should let their employer know whether they want to take their leave all at once or spread it out over a longer period. Employers can’t refuse to let their employees spread out their leave unless it would cause significant problems for the company.
Payment for adoption and foster leave in the Netherlands
When an employee adopts or fosters a child in the Netherlands, their employer has to apply for adoption or foster care pay on their behalf. Employees on adoption or foster leave receive the equivalent of their full average daily income for as long as their leave lasts. Employers who adopt or foster more than one child at the same time don’t receive an additional payment (or additional leave).
Other leave in the Netherlands
There are various statutory leave schemes in the Netherlands that allow employees to take time off work for different reasons. Collective labour agreements (CAO) might also give employees additional entitlements. Employers can also make individual agreements with their employees about the leave they’re allowed, as long as they provide at least the minimum defined by Dutch labour law and the CAO that applies.
Short- and long-term care leave in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, employees are entitled to short-term care leave if they need to take care of someone who is ill or otherwise in need of help. This leave only applies if the employee is the only person who can look after the person. Employees can take short-term care leave to care for:
- Their children or grandchildren
- Their partner
- Their parents or grandparents
- A member of their household
- A friend, neighbour, or acquaintance (in some circumstances)
Employers have to pay their employees 70% of their normal salary while they’re on short-term care leave. If this amounts to less than the minimum wage, they have to top it up so that the employee receives at least the minimum wage.
Dutch employees can also take long-term care leave if their child, partner, or parent is seriously ill and requires care. They should request this leave from their employer at least two weeks in advance, and employers can ask for details to assess whether the employee should be granted the leave. Long-term care leave is unpaid.
Emergency leave and short-absence leave
Sometimes, employees need to take time off work to deal with a personal emergency. For example, they might have to arrange for care for a family member or deal with a death in the family. In the Netherlands, employers must always grant reasonable requests for emergency leave, and continue to pay the employee’s salary while they’re on leave. Once the employee returns to work, you can ask to see proof that the leave was needed.
Special leave in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, special leave or extraordinary leave is meant to cover important events such as marriages or funerals. Employees in the Netherlands can also take special leave for:
- Moving house
- Doctors’ appointments
- Work anniversaries
- Taking an exam
- Activities for a trade union
There is no particular law that provides the basis for special leave in the Netherlands. Instead, it should be defined by the employee’s collective labour agreement, company policy, or employment contract.
Unpaid leave
Employees in the Netherlands can take unpaid leave if their employer agrees. They can take this leave on a full-time or part-time basis. During the leave, the employment contract continues, but the employee is not paid. They also stop accruing holiday benefits, and their pension might be affected.
There is no legal right to unpaid leave in the Netherlands, so whether or not you allow it for your employees is usually up to you. However, a collective labour agreement might include arrangements for unpaid leave, in which case you have to follow the rules it sets out.
Public holidays in Netherlands
The Netherlands has a number of public holidays each year. These are days that employers may choose to give employees off work in addition to their statutory holiday entitlement. However, there is no statutory obligation to grant time off on public holidays in the Netherlands.
Public holidays and collective labour agreements
In the Netherlands, many employees are covered by a collective labour agreement (CAO) that applies to their sector or company. CAOs often specify whether employees must be given time off on public holidays. If there is no CAO, or the CAO does not address public holidays, employers are generally free to decide their policy.
Many CAOs also allow a Christian public holiday (such as Christmas or Easter) to be substituted for another religious holiday (such as Eid al-Fitr or Hanukkah), helping employees celebrate holidays important to them without using their annual leave.
Liberation Day
5 May (Liberation Day) is a public holiday in the Netherlands. However, many CAOs treat it as a day off only once every five years. If your CAO does not mention Liberation Day, or you are not covered by a CAO, employers can decide whether to grant the day off.
Public holidays in the Netherlands
Here are the public holidays observed in the Netherlands in 2026:
Thursday 1 January
Nieuwjaarsdag (New Year’s Day)
Friday 3 April.
Goede vrijdag (Good Friday)
Sunday 5 April and Monday 6 April.
Eerste en tweede paasdag (Easter Sunday and Easter Monday)
Sunday 5 April and Monday 6 April.
Koningsdag (King’s Day)
Tuesday 5 May.
Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day)
Thursday 14 May.
Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension Day)
Sunday 24 May and Monday 25 May.
Eerste en tweede pinksterdag (Whit Sunday and Whit Monday)
Sunday 24 May and Monday 25 May.
Eerste en tweede kerstdag (Christmas Day and Boxing Day)
Protect your employees and your business
As an employer in the Netherlands, you need to understand your employees’ rights and entitlements. But keeping up with them can be a lot of work.
When you hire workers with CXC, we’ll ensure your engagements are in line with all local, national and international employment regulations. That way, your workers will get their benefits they’re entitled to, and your business will be protected from risk.
FAQ's
1. How does the leave policy work in the Netherlands?
A Dutch leave policy should explain annual holiday, holiday allowance, sickness absence, maternity and parental leave, partner leave, care leave, public holidays and any additional contractual time off. The leave policy in the Netherlands should also identify how employees request leave, who approves it and how payroll records the absence.
Statutory rights must be separated from enhanced benefits offered by contract, company policy or a collective labour agreement (CAO). The policy should explain whether additional days carry over, expire, or must be used during a particular holiday year. Statutory holiday hours and additional contractual holiday hours should be recorded separately because different expiry periods may apply.
Employees are not automatically entitled to take Dutch public holidays off. Whether a public holiday is a paid day off depends on the applicable CAO, employment contract or company policy.
Sickness procedures need particular care. Employees should know whom to contact, when notification is required and what information the employer may request. The policy should avoid demanding unnecessary medical details.
A well-designed policy also addresses part-time work, irregular schedules, remote employees, public holidays and leave during probation. Managers should receive practical guidance, so requests are handled consistently. Clear wording reduces disputes and helps HR, payroll and employees apply the same rules.
2. How much annual leave are employees entitled to in the Netherlands?
Employees are entitled to statutory annual leave equal to at least four times their weekly working hours. Someone working 40 hours each week therefore receives at least 160 holiday hours annually, while part-time employees accrue leave proportionately.
These vacation days in the Netherlands are separate from additional contractual days, collective-agreement holidays and public holidays. Employers may offer more than the statutory minimum, but the employment contract or policy should distinguish guaranteed entitlement from enhanced company benefits.
The statutory holiday rules also affect expiry and carry-over. Statutory holiday hours generally expire six months after the end of the calendar year in which they accrued. For example, statutory leave accrued in 2026 will normally expire on 1 July 2027. However, the hours may remain available where the employee could not reasonably take them or the employer failed to give the employee a genuine opportunity to do so. Extra-statutory holiday hours generally expire after five years, unless more favourable arrangements apply.
Holiday should be recorded in hours where working patterns vary. Payroll must also account for holiday allowance and leave accrued before termination.
Employees should be able to see their balance and understand how requests are approved. Accurate records prevent underpayment and disputes when working hours or employment status change.
3. How is vacation leave calculated in the Netherlands?
Vacation leave is calculated from the employee’s weekly working hours. The statutory minimum is four times those weekly hours per year, so an employee working 40 hours each week accrues at least 160 hours of statutory leave.
For part-time employees, the calculation is adjusted proportionately. Someone working 20 hours each week receives at least 80 statutory holiday hours. Variable-hours employees may require an average based on their agreed arrangement or actual working pattern.
Employers should distinguish statutory leave from extra days provided through the contract, a collective labour agreement or company policy. The records should show how each category is earned, used, carried forward and paid.
Vacation days in the Netherlands should be tracked in a way that employees can understand, particularly where shifts, irregular hours or compressed schedules apply. Payroll should update balances after approved leave and when the employee changes hours.
Accurate calculation matters at termination because unused entitlement and holiday allowance may need to be settled. A clear system reduces manual corrections and employee disagreements.
4. What is the sick leave policy in the Netherlands?
Employees in the Netherlands are generally entitled to at least 70% of their salary for up to 104 weeks of sick leave. The statutory obligation is generally capped by the maximum daily wage. During the first 52 weeks, payment must normally be at least the applicable statutory minimum wage; that minimum-wage floor does not generally apply during the second year. During this period, employers must continue wage payments and actively support the employee’s return to work under the Gatekeeper Improvement Act (Wet verbetering poortwachter). Many employment contracts and collective labour agreements (CAOs) provide more generous sick pay than the statutory minimum.
Dutch sick leave is different from many other countries because employers in the Netherlands have ongoing reintegration responsibilities throughout the employee’s absence. This includes working with the company doctor (bedrijfsarts), preparing a problem analysis and Plan van Aanpak (reintegration action plan) for long-term absences, maintaining appropriate contact with the employee and documenting reintegration efforts. For a longer absence, the company doctor normally prepares a problem analysis by the sixth week, and the employer and employee prepare a reintegration plan by the eighth week.
Employers may ask about the employee’s expected absence and ability to perform work, but they cannot ask for a medical diagnosis or detailed health information. Medical assessments must be carried out by the company doctor, and health information must be handled in accordance with Dutch privacy laws.
Failure to meet reintegration obligations can have significant consequences. If the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) determines that an employer has not made sufficient efforts to support the employee’s return to work, it may require the employer to continue paying wages beyond the normal 104-week period for up to an additional 52 weeks.
5. Are employers required to pay employees during sick leave in the Netherlands?
Yes. Employers generally must continue paying at least 70% of an employee’s wages during sickness for up to two years, subject to statutory conditions, the statutory maximum daily wage and any more favourable contractual or collective-agreement terms.
The official sick-pay requirements outline how pay should not fall below the statutory minimum during the first year where the 70% calculation would otherwise be lower. During the second year, the 70% payment generally does not have to be increased to the statutory minimum wage.
Employers must also support reintegration. That may involve assessing work capacity, considering suitable duties, arranging occupational-health input and keeping appropriate records. Failure to cooperate can extend the employer’s payment obligations by up to 52 weeks.
Payroll should process sickness correctly and explain any change in pay to the employee. The policy should distinguish ordinary sickness, occupational injury, pregnancy-related absence and situations where public benefits may apply.
The employer’s obligation is therefore financial and practical: continued pay must be paired with a fair, structured return-to-work process.
6. How long is maternity leave in the Netherlands?
Pregnancy and maternity leave together last at least 16 weeks. Pregnancy leave normally begins six weeks before the expected due date, although the employee may choose to start it later, but no later than four weeks before that date.
After birth, the employee is entitled to at least ten weeks of maternity leave. If the baby arrives later than expected, the overall period may exceed 16 weeks because the post-birth entitlement is calculated from the actual birth date. If the baby is born early, unused pregnancy leave is added to the maternity-leave period so that the total entitlement remains at least 16 weeks. Employees expecting multiple births are generally entitled to at least 20 weeks of combined pregnancy and maternity leave.
Maternity leave in the Netherlands should be planned with payroll, HR and the employee’s manager. The employer should confirm the expected dates, temporary cover, communication arrangements and treatment of contractual benefits.
Pregnancy-related appointments during working hours should be handled separately from annual holiday. The employee should not be required to use holiday hours for those appointments.
Employers must avoid disadvantaging an employee because of pregnancy, maternity leave or a planned return. A respectful process supports continuity while protecting the employee’s statutory rights.
7. What maternity leave benefits are available in the Netherlands?
Employees taking maternity leave may receive a maternity benefit administered through the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency, commonly known as UWV. The employer may handle the application and payment process, depending on the arrangement and payroll system.
The benefit normally supports the statutory pregnancy and maternity-leave period. It is generally equal to 100% of the employee’s daily wage, up to the statutory maximum daily wage. UWV commonly pays the benefit to the employer, which continues payment through payroll, although UWV may pay the employee directly in some circumstances. Maternity leave in the Netherlands may also be supplemented by salary continuation, pension arrangements or enhanced company benefits under an employment contract or collective labour agreement.
Employers should explain what the employee will receive, who submits any application, when payments begin and how payroll will show the absence. They should also confirm whether benefits continue during leave and how the employee’s return will be managed.
The financial treatment should not discourage employees from taking leave. Managers must avoid negative assumptions about commitment, promotion or availability after maternity absence.
A practical plan covers the application, payment, temporary cover, communication and return to work. That gives the employee confidence and lets the business plan resources without compromising statutory protection.
8. What should employers include in a leave policy in the Netherlands?
A leave policy should cover annual holiday, holiday allowance, sickness, maternity, parental, partner, care and bereavement leave, as well as public holidays and any additional contractual days.
The leave policy in the Netherlands should explain how leave is requested, how much notice is required, who approves it and how emergencies are handled. It should also distinguish statutory leave from enhanced company benefits and collective-agreement provisions.
Working patterns need specific attention. The policy should address part-time employees, irregular schedules, shift workers, remote employees and staff who change hours during the holiday year. It should explain how balances are recorded and when unused entitlement expires or carries forward. Statutory and extra-statutory holiday hours should be recorded separately because statutory hours generally expire six months after the end of the accrual year, while extra-statutory hours generally expire after five years. Exceptions can apply where an employee could not reasonably take the statutory leave.
Sickness procedures must protect privacy. Employees should know whom to contact, what information is required and how reintegration support operates without demanding a diagnosis.
HR and managers should apply the policy consistently. A review should take place when legislation, collective agreements, payroll systems or workforce practices change. Clear policies reduce disputes and make employee leave easier to administer.
9. What happens if employers do not comply with leave regulations in the Netherlands?
Non-compliance can lead to unpaid holiday, incorrect holiday allowance, backdated wage payments, employee claims, enforcement action and reputational harm. Problems may also affect sickness administration, reintegration, maternity rights or the employee’s ability to take statutory leave.
If an employer refuses lawful leave or records it incorrectly, the employee may challenge the decision through internal procedures or external legal channels. Underpayment can require repayment, and errors may affect payroll-tax reporting.
Sick leave in the Netherlands creates additional risk because employers generally have continued wage-payment and reintegration responsibilities. Poor contact, inadequate records or failure to support a return to work can extend the employer’s obligations for up to 52 weeks beyond the normal 104-week period if UWV imposes a wage sanction
HR should investigate complaints promptly, correct records, pay outstanding amounts and document the remedy. Managers should not make informal promises that conflict with the policy or statutory rights.
A regular leave audit should review accrual, approvals, balances, sickness payments, parental leave and public holidays. Early correction is usually less disruptive than resolving a formal dispute after records have become incomplete.
10. What makes CXC a trusted partner for managing employee leave in the Netherlands?
CXC provides Employer of Record (EOR) services in the Netherlands, helping businesses employ workers compliantly without establishing a Dutch legal entity. As part of our EOR service, we administer employee leave in line with Dutch employment laws and applicable collective labour agreements (CAOs), helping employers manage annual leave, holiday allowance (vakantiegeld), sick leave, maternity leave, parental leave and other statutory leave entitlements.
Our local specialists support leave administration throughout the employee lifecycle, from onboarding and payroll to leave tracking, statutory payments, employment documentation and employee offboarding. We also help employers manage long-term sickness absence by coordinating the employment administration and payroll processes associated with Dutch leave requirements.
Whether you are hiring your first employee in the Netherlands or managing a growing workforce, CXC combines local employment expertise with global workforce capabilities. By managing leave administration and ongoing employment compliance, we help reduce administrative complexity while giving employees a consistent and compliant experience.
This allows your HR team to focus on supporting employees and growing the business, while CXC manages the day-to-day employment administration associated with employee leave.
Compliantly hire employees anywhere with CXC
With our EoR solution, you can engage workers anywhere in the world, without putting your business at risk. No more worrying about local labour laws, tax legislation or payroll customs — we’ve got you covered.
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