Having the notice of dismissal drafted by the employer: costs and process

Having a notice of dismissal drafted by the employer typically costs between 100 and 400 euros for a single letter from a specialized SME lawyer, and more if advice regarding the broader dismissal situation is included. For a simple, timely notice based on Article 7:668 of the Dutch Civil Code, professional assistance is often unnecessary. It only pays off if there is doubt regarding the nature of the contract, the chain rule, or early termination. Below, you can read what determines the costs and how the process works.

The short answer

• Having a separate notice letter drafted usually costs between 100 and 400 euros.
• Advice regarding the entire dismissal situation runs into 500 to 1,500 euros or more.
• The price depends on the complexity: simply giving notice is inexpensive, while termination via the UWV or the subdistrict court is a different process.
• For a standard notice, a lawyer is often unnecessary; timeliness and evidence are more important.
• Do have someone review the chain regulation, in case of doubt regarding the contract type or a strained relationship.

How much does it cost to have a notice of dismissal drawn up by the employer?

For a single notice letter, you usually pay between 100 and 400 euros at an SME lawyer. That is a limited amount, because the letter is brief and the legal content is limited: you state whether the temporary contract will be continued and under what conditions. If you also want advice on the entire situation, for example whether it is better to extend or not and what the consequences are for the chain rule, the price rises towards 500 to 1,500 euros.

If it concerns a termination during the term or of a permanent contract rather than a notice of termination, you are in a different and more expensive process. Termination requires reasonable grounds and a preventive review by the UWV or the sub-district court (Articles 7:669 and 7:671 of the Dutch Civil Code). Such a case quickly costs more, because it involves evidence, a petition, and sometimes negotiations regarding a settlement agreement.

What determines the price?

The price depends primarily on the complexity. A single notice for an employee with a clear annual contract is straightforward. As soon as successive contracts are involved that affect the chain rule, or if there is doubt as to whether it is truly a temporary contract, the investigative work increases. A strained employment relationship also increases the workload, because the choice of words must be more careful and a continuation is sometimes already taken into account.

Another factor is whether you want individual assistance or a package. Some employers have their contract templates adjusted all at once, so that the notification is included in the employment contract from now on. This is slightly more expensive upfront, but saves separate letters later on and eliminates the risk of a forgotten notification.

How does the process work?

The process is brief. You provide the employment contract and the end date, along with your preference: to continue or terminate. The legal expert checks whether the notification obligation applies, drafts the letter with the correct conditions, and ensures compliance with the one-month deadline before the end. You receive the letter, send it in writing, and retain proof of receipt. In the case of an advisory process, a meeting regarding the chain rule and the next steps is included.

The turnaround time is usually one to a few working days. It is important that you start on time: if you start within the month before the end date, the notice period compensation may already be partially due (Article 7:668 paragraph 3 of the Dutch Civil Code), and a legal expert can no longer rectify this.

Practical example

A webshop with fifteen employees had forgotten to give notice to two temporary workers and paid nearly a month's salary in notice compensation on two occasions. Subsequently, the owner had his contract template adjusted once so that the notice is henceforth included in the employment contract itself, along with a simple calendar reminder per contract. The one-off costs for this were lower than the two compensation payments combined.

Honest recommendation

For a standard notice, you usually do not need to hire a lawyer. The letter is short, and the real risk is forgetting the deadline. Include the notice in your employment contract and set a reminder in your calendar for each contract; this way, you avoid the compensation at no cost. A simple template and discipline are worth more here than advice.

Do seek professional help if the situation calls for more: if you are unsure whether it is truly a temporary contract, regarding successive contracts that affect the chain rule, in the event of a strained relationship, or if you specifically wish to terminate the contract prematurely. The latter constitutes termination rather than notification, and requires reasonable grounds plus review by the UWV or a subdistrict court judge. In those cases, a few hundred euros in advice quickly pays for itself compared to a failed termination.

Want to know more or need help? Check out our page on notice of dismissal by the employer, first read what a notice of dismissal by the employer is, or how to drafting a notice of dismissal by the employer .

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