Having an employment agency agreement drawn up: costs and process

Having a temporary employment contract drafted by a specialized SME lawyer typically costs between €250 for a template and €1,500 or more for custom work, depending on the complexity. You pay for a contract that correctly regulates the employment contract under Article 7:690 of the Dutch Civil Code: the temporary employment clause, the phase classification, the hirer's remuneration under the Waadi Act, and alignment with the ABU or NBBU collective labour agreement. If you work with standard CLA templates, it can be inexpensive; if you deviate from them, custom work is advisable.

The short answer

• Template: 250 to 500 euros for a standard contract compliant with the collective labor agreement.
• Custom work: 750 to 1,500 euros or more for custom phase structure or deviating agreements.
• What you get: agency clause (Article 7:691 of the Dutch Civil Code), phase classification and hirer's remuneration correctly processed.
• Process: intake, concept, feedback, and delivery, usually within one to two weeks.
• When customization is required: no collective labor agreement, individual phase structure, or complex remuneration agreements.

Having an employment agency agreement drawn up: what does it cost?

The price depends mainly on whether you need a standard contract or a custom one. An indication:

• Standard template: 250 to 500 euros. A collective labour agreement-compliant model that you fill in yourself for each temporary worker. Suitable if you fall under the ABU or NBBU collective labour agreement and use a standard temporary employment clause.
• Custom contract: 750 to 1,500 euros. An agreement tailored to your situation, for example in the case of a customized phase structure, deviating remuneration, or if you fall outside a collective labour agreement.
• Associated hiring agreement: 500 to 1,500 euros for the commercial agreement between agency and hirer regarding rate and liability.
• Standalone legal check: 150 to 400 euros if you want to have an existing contract checked for compliance with the CLA and the Waadi Act.

A template is cheap, but only useful if your situation fits within the standard. As soon as you deviate, an incorrectly completed model can turn out to be more expensive than custom work from the start.

What you get for that price

A good legal expert delivers more than just a completed template. You receive a contract in which the core components are correct: the agency work clause in accordance with Article 7:691 of the Dutch Civil Code, the correct phase classification according to the ABU or NBBU collective labour agreement, and remuneration that complies with the hirer's remuneration under Article 8 of the Waadi Act. It is also checked whether your Waadi registration with the Chamber of Commerce is in order and whether the employment contract remains properly separated from the hiring agreement with your client.

The process step by step

Drafting usually proceeds in a few straightforward steps:

1. Intake: the legal expert determines under which collective labour agreement you fall, which positions you second, and whether you work with a secondment clause.
2. Draft: you will receive a first version containing the temporary employment clause, the phase classification, and the remuneration agreements.
3. Feedback: you discuss adjustments, for example regarding allowances or working hours.
4. Delivery: you receive a final contract, often with a brief explanation of the usage.

Expect a turnaround time of one to two weeks for a standard contract, and slightly longer for custom solutions with multiple feedback rounds.

When do you need custom work?

For many agencies, a template compliant with the collective labor agreement suffices. Customization is advisable in these cases:

• You are not covered by the ABU or NBBU collective labour agreement and must build up a complete regime yourself.
• You want your own phase structure or deviating agreements regarding the temporary employment clause.
• You have complex remuneration agreements, for example with hirers with special allowances or job categories.
• There is doubt as to whether your arrangement truly falls under the temporary employment contract of Article 7:690 of the Dutch Civil Code.

An example. A small agency exclusively deploys specialized welders to various metal companies, each with its own company collective labor agreement and allowances. A standard model does not cover this variation. This is where a customized contract pays off, one that incorporates the correct remuneration for each hirer.

You can read more on the page about the temporary employment contract, in the explanation of what a temporary employment contract is , and in the article about drafting a temporary employment contract.

Honest recommendation

If you work as a regular agency under the ABU or NBBU collective labour agreement with a standard temporary employment clause, you often do not need an expensive lawyer: a CLA-compliant template costing 250 to 500 euros is sufficient, provided you fill it out carefully and your Waadi registration is in order. For most standard placements, that is an excellent choice.

Have the agreement drafted or reviewed by a lawyer if you fall outside a collective labour agreement, wish to have your own phase structure or deviating remuneration, or if you are unsure whether your arrangement falls under Article 7:690 of the Dutch Civil Code. The secondment agreement with your clients, which sets out liability and rates, also warrants legal attention. The costs of this are generally far outweighed by the risk of an unsuitable contract.

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