Netherlands
Find out key information relating to Netherlands’ leave entitlements
Leave entitlement & working time regulations at a glance
Minimum Holiday Entitlement
20 days
Public Holidays
8 per year
Parental Leave
26 weeks unpaid; partially compensated by insurance for 9 weeks
Working Week
36-40 hours (full time)
Sick Leave Entitlement
Employers pay 70% of wages for up to 2 years
Region
EMEA
ABSENCE & LEAVE
Additional information
Annual leave
Employees receive 4 times the number of hours they complete a week as holiday allowance. For example, if an employee worked 37.5 hours a week every week, they would be entitled to 150 hours of holiday a year. Which would be equivalent to 20 days’ holiday.
Sick leave
If an employee is off sick, then the employer is required to pay at least 70% of their wages for a maximum of two years.
Year 1: Pay at least 70% of their wage, which must not fall below the minimum wage
Year 2: Continue to pay 70% of their wage but it may fall below the minimum wage
Maternity and paternity leave
Pregnant employees are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, which is to be paid at 100% of their salary. Maternity leave will start 4 to 6 weeks before the due date. The father receives 5 days of paid maternity leave once their partner gives birth. The leave does not have to start on the day of birth and can be taken in the first four weeks after birth.