Labor matters

Due to rising energy prices, employees want to work at the office more often and demand a higher home office allowance. An employee does not have a statutory right to a home office allowance — it is a term of employment — but...

A strike can bring your business to a standstill, but employees have the right to strike under certain conditions. As an employer, you may not punish or dismiss striking employees for a lawful strike. However...

A non-compete clause in a temporary contract is only valid if it is justified in writing by a compelling business interest (Article 7:653 of the Dutch Civil Code). In practice, this often goes wrong. With this...

Theft by your own staff occurs more often than you think — often in a petty form, such as taking office supplies. You limit the risk with four things: clear rules, good...

A sick employee is entitled to wages (Article 7:629 of the Dutch Civil Code). That right lapses only if he has intentionally caused the illness — but a great deal is required for that. The intent must...

If you hire a new employee, you must provide him with detailed information about his terms of employment. Due to the Transparent and Predictable Terms of Employment Directive, this duty to provide information has been expanded: you must provide more information...

If you provide an employee with a company phone, this can be tax-exempt, provided the phone is necessary for business purposes (the necessity criterion within the work-related expenses scheme). Additionally, make agreements regarding private use,...

Reduction in working hours days (ATV days) are extra days off that an employee accrues by working more hours than contractually agreed. There are no statutory rules for ATV days, other than for statutory...

Daytime theft — getting paid while you do little or no work — can cost an employee dearly. In a recent case, it led to dismissal without a severance payment and without...

A senior employee scheme often means demotion: an older employee moves from a higher to a lower position, sometimes with a salary adjustment. You cannot simply impose this unilaterally; the...