Contract & health insurance

Your contract

Employment contract

The employer enters into an employment contract with you. From the moment you arrive at the employer's location for the first time, you will build a direct relationship with your employer. In that direct relationship, you will discuss and handle all aspects of the employment relationship between you. There is not a situation that you are working through an employment agency, or persons other than yourself and your employer who will have an influence on your relationship.

Duration of employment

The intended duration of the employment is agreed with you in advance during your contact with the recruiter. It is important that there be agreement in advance between you and the company where you will work. The duration of the employment offered may vary. There may be annual contracts that follow one another and have a total duration of a few years. For such contracts, the intention is that you make a commitment for at least one year, and then decide whether you want to stay longer after the experience of that first year. There may also be short seasonal work, from a few weeks to a few months.

Work schedule and working hours

The employer draws up the work schedule and determines the working hours. There may be work at irregular hours, including on weekends and on public holidays. Holidays are of course possible after consultation with your employer and if your employer agrees with it.

Notice period

The notice period in the Netherlands is one month (Article 672 of Book 7 of the Dutch Civil Code). If you want to terminate the employment, you must therefore agree on this with your employer one month in advance. If you do not observe the notice period, you are liable to pay damage compensation to your employer (Article 672 (10) of Book 7 of the Dutch Civil Code).

The employer also has the same notice period of one month. The exception is that the employer can dismiss the employee without any notice during the first six months of an employment contract.

The health insurance

The employer ensures that health insurance is taken out. The premium for this is handled via the payslip. This insurance covers the provision of care in the Netherlands, such as a general practitioner, medicines, hospitalisation, surgery and other medical specialists. The health insurance is valid from the first working day to the last working day.

The costs of the health insurance are approximately €165.00 per month, and these costs are deducted from the salary (the net salary presented on the salary page is after deduction of the health insurance premium). For further information about the health insurance, and its coverage, see HollandZorg.

It is possible for you to register on HollandZorg. Your potential employer must have your email address for this. With HollandZorg, it is possible to read the entire website in your own language.

Instructions for creating an account: