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In the Netherlands, there is considerable uncertainty about the distinction between working as an employee and working as a self-employed person. This regularly leads to situations of false self-employment, which has negative consequences for social security, labor law, and tax regulations. For example, falsely self-employed people do not enjoy protection against risks such as unemployment, illness, and old age. False self-employment undermines solidarity within the social system, as…

The Dutch caretaker government has unveiled a labour market reform package introducing major changes to flexible work arrangements, self-employed insurance, and employee protections. The measures, presented alongside the national budget on Prinsjesdag (17 September), are set to reshape key aspects of Dutch employment law in the coming years. The proposals aim to strengthen safeguards for vulnerable workers while maintaining space for entrepreneurship and adaptable staffing models. An high-over…

On 4 September 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) decided that the termination of an employment contract following an employee’s refusal to accept a unilateral change of workplace, within the context of a collective mobility scheme, may be classified as a ‘dismissal’ within the meaning of the Collective Redundancies Directive (Directive 98/59/EC) (the Directive). However, if employees are required by a collective agreement to…

Menopause is a life phase that affects nearly half of the female workforce. Recent research shows that eight out of ten women experience complaints during menopause, and for seven out of ten women, these complaints affect their work. Examples include hot flashes, sleep problems, fatigue, and loss of concentration. Yet, the topic often remains underexposed in the workplace: only 13% of women discuss their complaints with their supervisor,…

On 3 July 2025, the employment law team at Rutgers & Posch had the pleasure of welcoming a large group of legal professionals from the Dutch Association of In-house Lawyers (Nederlands Genootschap van Bedrijfsjuristen; NGB) to our office for one of our annual employment law knowledge sessions. This year’s session focused on the theme ‘Employment Law in a Changing World’. During the event, Dirk Jan Rutgers and Ilaha…

The long-awaited amended bill on the Clarification of the Assessment of Employment Relationships and Legal Presumption (Verduidelijking beoordeling arbeidsrelaties en rechtsvermoeden; Vbar Bill) was submitted to the House of Representatives on 7 July 2025. In the original proposal from 2023, the legal assessment of the employment relationship consisted of three elements: criteria indicating employee status (W), criteria indicating self-employment within an assignment (Z), and Personal Entrepreneurship (outside the…