Blog - Noordam Employment Law

How there might always be a confidential conversation in the workplace.

Research has shown that over a million Dutch people have experienced bullying, (sexual) intimidation, discrimination and aggression at work. Nobody seems to be able to drastically reduce unwanted behaviour in the workplace. A member of the Dutch Tweede Kamer, Maatoug (Groenlinks-PvdA) hopes to change this with her initiative proposal to amend the Working Conditions Act (in Dutch: Arbeidsomstandighedenwet) and make a confidential counselor mandatory at work.

For years, little changed in the legislation regarding indefinite-term employment contracts, but this now appears to be changing. Minister Van Gennip submitted a bill in March 2024 to reform the legislation regarding non-competition clauses. Research has shown that employers invoke the non-competition clause too often and too easily. By doing so, employers aim to protect […]

How sick pay may jeopardize your highly skilled migrant status

Are you an expat residing in the Netherlands based on a “highly skilled migrant” status? Make sure your sick pay does not fall below the minimum salary required to keep your residence status.

Can an employer force employees to be vaccinated?

Several prominent companies in the United States, including Google, Facebook and Netflix, announced that any employees coming into their offices must be fully vaccinated. In the Netherlands employers are also struggling with the question if they can oblige their employees to be vaccinated. What about the rights and obligations of employers and employees?

Should you sign a settlement agreement during sickness?

Is your employer suggesting ending your employment by signing a settlement agreement during sickness? Be careful. Termination of your employment under these circumstances may jeopardise your right to social security benefits.

Does an employee have the legal right to work from home because of the coronavirus outbreak?

Thanks to the relaxation of the measures to control the coronavirus outbreak, more and more employees are able to return to the office. Nevertheless, the government’s advice remains to work from home as much as possible. Can an employer force employees to return to the office?

Is an employer liable for an employee’s burnout?

More than a quarter of employees suffer at some point from burnout complaints. In most cases, a heavy workload is a contributing factor to a burnout, but private factors can also play a role. To what extent can an employee claim compensation or damages from their employer as a result of a burnout?

Is late payment of the holiday allowance permitted because of the coronavirus outbreak?

Most employees in the Netherlands expect to receive their holiday allowance in the month of May or June. However, this year, due to the financial difficulties caused by the coronavirus outbreak, some employees fear that their employer may be, at best, reluctant to pay out the holiday allowance on time and, at worst, unable to […]

Can a company lower employee salaries because of the coronavirus outbreak?

Many businesses are suffering financially as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Despite the Dutch government’s support measures, companies could be facing bankruptcy. To reduce costs, some companies wish to lower salaries. But are such pay cuts a viable option?