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Most employment contracts clearly state how many hours you’re expected to work each week. In reality, though, busy periods, deadlines or staff shortages can mean putting in extra hours. So what are your rights when it comes to overtime in the Netherlands?
How many hours can you legally work?
Dutch employment law can protect employees from excessive working hours. The key rules are set out in the Working Hours Act (Arbeidstijdenwet), which focuses on safeguarding health and work-life balance.
For most employees, the limits are as follows:
You may work up to 60 hours in a single week in exceptional cases
Over a 16-week period, your average working time must not exceed 48 hours per week
Employers are responsible for tracking working hours and ensuring these limits aren’t exceeded.
It’s worth noting that the Working Hours Act does not apply to everyone. If you earn more than three times the statutory minimum wage, these rules may not apply to your role.
Is overtime always paid?
Not necessarily. Whether you’re entitled to compensation for overtime depends largely on your employment contract or any applicable collective labour agreement (CAO).
There are generally three common arrangements:
Paid overtime: You receive additional pay for extra hours worked
Time off in lieu: Overtime is compensated with extra leave hours
All-in salary: Your salary is considered to cover a reasonable amount of overtime
If your contract includes an “all-in” salary clause, you will in principle not receive extra pay for additional hours.
When does overtime become an issue?
Even if your contract states that overtime is included in your salary, there are limits to what is considered “reasonable”.
A recent court case highlighted this. An employee working as an executive assistant claimed compensation for a large number of overtime hours. Although her contract stated that overtime was included in her salary, the court ruled that:
The employer knew about the overtime and allowed it
The number of extra hours exceeded what could reasonably be expected
The court decided that a certain level of overtime (around eight extra hours per week) could be considered part of the role. However, anything beyond that had to be compensated. As a result, the employer was required to pay for the remaining overtime hours.
What should you watch out for?
If you regularly work overtime, it’s important to check:
What your contract says about overtime
Whether a CAO applies to your job
If your working hours stay within legal limits
Whether your employer is aware of (and approves) your extra hours
Regularly working long hours without clear agreements can lead to disputes later on.
Conclusion
Overtime is fairly common in many jobs, but that doesn’t mean there are no rules. Dutch law sets clear limits on working hours, and your contract should outline how extra time is handled.
Legal advice
If you’re unsure about your situation, or feel you’re working more than you should without proper compensation, it’s wise to get legal advice. Feel free to contact one of the legal experts at GMW Lawyers to understand your rights and options. We can work it out!
Every eight days in the Netherlands, a woman is killed by her current or former partner.
The number has remained largely unchanged for the past fifteen years.
For a modern country that prides itself on equality, safety and the rule of law, this statistic is deeply troubling. Yet the dynamics behind many of these killings are still not widely understood in the Netherlands. One key concept is coercive control.
Understanding this pattern is essential, because femicide rarely happens suddenly.
In many cases, it follows a recognisable trajectory. Homicide is the most extreme outcome of coercive control. Not all abusive relationships escalate to this level. However, research shows that when patterns of control intensify and remain unrecognised, the risk of severe or lethal violence can increase.
Women are most often the victims
Both men and women can become victims of coercive control and partner violence.
However, the vast majority of victims in severe cases are women. More than half of all women murdered in the Netherlands are killed by a current or former partner. For men, the percentage is below five percent. For that reason, discussions about femicide often focus on women.
Another common misconception is that domestic abuse is linked to specific social groups. In reality, coercive control occurs in all layers of society. It is not connected to educational level, nationality, religion, ethnicity or income.
Abusive relationships exist in wealthy neighbourhoods and modest ones, among highly educated professionals as well as among people with fewer resources.
What is coercive control?
Coercive control is a pattern of behaviour in which one partner systematically dominates and isolates the other. Unlike physical violence alone, it operates through psychological, emotional and social control.
It often begins subtly.
At the start of the relationship, the controlling partner may appear intensely loving and attentive. This phase is sometimes described as love bombing: excessive affection, constant contact and a rapid push towards commitment.
Over time, the dynamic shifts.
The controlling partner may begin to isolate their partner from friends and family, monitor communication and movements, manipulate through guilt or threats, undermine the victim’s confidence through gaslighting, create financial dependence, or intimidate and humiliate.
Physical violence may occur later, but coercive control often exists long before that.
Because it is largely psychological, it can remain invisible to outsiders for years.
A pattern recognised worldwide
Research by British criminologist Dr Jane Monckton Smith shows that domestic homicides typically follow a recognisable timeline.
Her eight-stage model demonstrates that partner killings are rarely spontaneous acts of passion. Instead, they often develop through escalating control.
The stages often include a history of stalking or abusive behaviour, a relationship that becomes serious very quickly, the establishment of coercive control, and a trigger event such as separation or the victim regaining independence.
This is often followed by escalation, increased stalking or threats, contemplation of homicide, planning and eventually the killing itself.
This research challenges the widespread myth that domestic killings happen in a sudden emotional outburst. In many cases, they are the final stage of a long process of control.
Intimate terror: the hidden form of domestic violence
Dutch experts increasingly use the term intieme terreur (literally translated as “intimate terrorism”) to describe severe forms of coercive control.
In these relationships, one partner systematically dominates the other through manipulation, threats and psychological violence.
Victims often describe a gradual loss of autonomy. Their partner may control daily decisions, finances, social contacts and sometimes even access to their own children.
If the victim tries to leave the relationship, the situation may escalate dramatically.
Separation is one of the most dangerous moments in an abusive relationship.
A difficult reality: most perpetrators appear “normal”
One of the most unsettling aspects of coercive control is that many perpetrators do not fit a clear psychological profile.
Most do not have a mental disorder.
They often appear socially competent, successful and respected in their professional or social environment. To outsiders, they may seem charming, calm or reasonable.
This can make it extremely difficult for victims to be believed.
It also explains why coercive control can continue for years before professionals recognise what is happening.
Slowly changing awareness in the Netherlands
For a long time, the Dutch legal system and support organisations had limited awareness of coercive control as a distinct pattern of abuse.
It took the work of several trailblazing lawyers, researchers and advocates – many of them women – to place coercive control on the agenda of courts, policymakers and support organisations.
Institutions such as Veilig Thuis (the Dutch national advice and reporting centre for domestic violence), the Raad voor de Kinderbescherming (Child Protection Board), and the judiciary are gradually incorporating this knowledge into their work.
The goal is to improve recognition of abuse patterns and provide more effective protection for victims and children.
Important steps have been taken in recent months. At the same time, many professionals are still learning how to recognise patterns of psychological abuse and how to respond to them. As knowledge spreads, the hope is that victims will receive more consistent and better-informed support.
A gap between criminal law and family law
Another challenge lies in the way domestic abuse is assessed in different legal contexts.
In criminal law, the focus is primarily on safety and violations of legal rules. Violence and threats are evaluated as offences that must be investigated and prosecuted.
Family law operates differently. Here, courts often focus on maintaining parental contact and encouraging cooperation between former partners. Mediation or communication between parents is frequently encouraged.
For victims of coercive control, this can be deeply problematic.
A woman who refuses mediation because it exposes her to further control may appear uncooperative in court. Meanwhile, psychological abuse may receive less attention because it is harder to prove than physical violence.
Many experts therefore argue that courts should pay closer attention to patterns of behaviour, not only to communication between partners.
In other words: actions should matter more than words.
Recognising the signs
One of the biggest challenges is that coercive control often remains invisible for a long time.
Friends, neighbours and even professionals may only see fragments of what is happening.
Victims themselves may struggle to recognise the pattern, particularly when manipulation and gaslighting have undermined their confidence.
Learning to identify early warning signs can therefore be crucial.
For example, a relationship that develops extremely quickly may deserve a closer look. If a new partner overwhelms someone with intense attention, gifts and declarations of love while pushing for rapid commitment – moving in together, pregnancy or marriage – this may feel romantic, but it can also be an early warning sign of control.
Slowing down the pace of a relationship can sometimes reveal how a partner reacts when they do not get immediate control.
Seeking help
Leaving an abusive relationship can be complex and emotionally difficult. It can also be dangerous. The moment a victim attempts to leave is often when the perpetrator feels their control slipping away, which may trigger escalation.
In the Netherlands, several organisations provide support for victims of domestic violence. One of the most important contact points is Veilig Thuis, the national advice and reporting centre for domestic abuse.
If you suspect that someone in your environment may be experiencing abuse, you can contact Veilig Thuisfor advice or to make a report. Reports from friends, neighbours or professionals can be particularly valuable. Victims of coercive control are sometimes not immediately believed, because psychological abuse can be difficult to recognise. When people around them also raise concerns, it can help professionals understand the situation more quickly.
Supporting someone in an abusive relationship requires patience and care. Victims often develop highly refined instincts for reading the perpetrator’s moods and reactions. What may seem irrational to outsiders – for example staying in the relationship despite violence – may actually be a survival strategy.
For this reason, support is often more helpful than advice. Listening, believing and remaining available can be more valuable than telling someone what they should do.
Legal support
In situations involving coercive control, mediation is usually not appropriate. Mediation assumes a relatively equal relationship between two parties who can negotiate with each other. In abusive relationships, that balance is absent.
In such cases, legal advice can be an important step. A specialised family lawyer can help assess the situation, explain legal options and discuss what evidence may be relevant in court.
Legal support alone cannot solve the complex emotional and social consequences of abuse. However, lawyers often work together with other professionals and can point victims towards additional resources such as shelters, counselling services, support groups and local assistance programmes.
For international residents, language barriers can make this process even more difficult. Multilingual legal professionals can help bridge this gap by explaining the Dutch legal system and available support in a language victims feel comfortable with.
Platforms such as Counselr connect expats with lawyers who speak their language and understand the legal landscape in the Netherlands.
Understanding your rights and knowing where to turn for support can be an important first step towards safety and independence.
Picture: Screenshot of the Coercive Control – Where is the line? YouTube video from the North-Ireland Ards and North Down Borough Council on coercive control.
An increasing number of couples in the Netherlands are choosing to live together without getting married or entering into a registered partnership.
This raises an important question: what are the legal implications of cohabiting without a formal arrangement? Let’s walk through the key legal considerations and possible pitfalls.
Why go without a contract?
Choosing to live together without a legal agreement (such as a cohabitation contract, registered partnership or marriage) can feel easier and more relaxed. But bear in mind: if you take that route, you’ll be doing so without the automatic protections that accompany formal arrangements.
Children
If you and your partner live together informally, and one of you is not the biological mother, the partner is not automatically recognised as the legal parent. That means the partner can only acknowledge the child with the mother’s consent. Without consent, legal action may be required.
No entitlement to partner support
If the relationship ends, informal cohabitants generally don’t have rights to spousal support. This can create significant financial difficulties, particularly where one partner has been dependent on the other.
Inheritance issues
If your partner passes away, you’re not automatically treated as a legal heir when you’re cohabiting without a contract. This means the surviving partner may receive nothing—even if they lived together for many years or lived in the deceased partner’s home.
Property and assets
Without an official legal partnership, each partner’s income and assets remain separate. This has advantages and disadvantages. On the upside, you’re usually not automatically liable for your partner’s debts. On the downside, if you’ve contributed to your partner’s home or other assets, it might be difficult to claim reimbursement later on.
Example Marc and Sophie purchase a house together. Marc pays for the bathroom renovation using his private savings. If they separate and there is no written agreement about reimbursement, Marc may struggle to recover his investment.
Should you draw up an agreement?
In short: yes, it is strongly recommended. While cohabiting informally may feel less formal and more flexible, it leaves you exposed to legal uncertainties and financial risks. Signing a cohabitation contract helps you define your rights and responsibilities, clarify what happens if things change, and avoid possible long and costly disputes.
Final thoughts
Living together informally has its appeal, but it also comes with important legal consequences. By putting in place a formal agreement, you can protect both individuals and the relationship. If you’re uncertain about your situation, it’s a good idea to seek specialist advice, the family law experts of GMW lawyers are happy to advice you.
If you’d like more information about informal cohabitation and what your options are, feel free to get in touch with GMW lawyers.
In principle, the landlord is responsible for maintaining a rental property, but there is a distinction between major and minor maintenance.
Landlord responsibilities for major maintenance
Landlords are responsible for major maintenance, which includes significant repairs like exterior painting or replacing a central heating boiler, as outlined in Article 7:217 of the Dutch Civil Code (DCC).
Major maintenance and rent reduction
Landlords must address defects in the property, either on their own or at the tenant’s request. A defect is any limitation in the property’s use not caused by the tenant. If a defect affects the tenant’s enjoyment of the property and is not repaired, the tenant may claim a rent reduction from the date of notification until the issue is resolved.
Tenant responsibilities for minor repairs
Tenants are responsible for minor repairs, such as replacing lightbulbs or fixing taps. The tenant is liable for these repairs unless they result from the landlord’s failure to maintain the property.
Deviating agreements
While parties can, in principle, agree on different maintenance arrangements, Article 7:242 of the DCC stipulates that tenants may not be disadvantaged by these agreements, particularly in the case of residential leases. Except when it concerns repairs to the property that have been carried out by the tenant themselves.
For example, if a tenant installs flooring, they are responsible for its maintenance.
Conclusion
In summary, landlords are generally responsible for major maintenance, while tenants handle minor repairs. And in some circumstances, it is even possible for a tenant to claim a rent reduction in the case of unresolved major defects.
More information
Do you have questions about the division of maintenance responsibilities between landlords and tenants? Please feel free to contact GMW lawyers in The Hague. We can work it out!
Internationals in The Netherlands may wonder about their rights when it comes to taking a holiday while on sick leave. This article clarifies the legal rules, the role of the company doctor, and what could happen if an employee goes on holiday without permission.
Following a Dutch Supreme Court ruling it was established that employees who are fully unfit for work do not need to use their holiday entitlement to take a break. However, do they still need to seek permission from their employer?
Permission
According to Article 7:638 of the Dutch Civil Code, employees must request permission for holiday leave, even when sick. If the employer does not respond in writing within two weeks, the holiday is automatically approved. Employers usually have limited grounds to refuse a sick employee’s request, especially if the employee is fully unfit for work.
Role of the company doctor
Employers can consult the company doctor to determine if a holiday could hinder recovery. If the doctor believes that a holiday could aid recovery, they may provide a recommendation to the employer.
What if the employer refuses?
If an employer denies a holiday request without a valid reason, the employee may need to consider legal action to enforce their right. It’s not advisable to take a holiday without permission, as it can lead to disciplinary action, such as a written warning or salary suspension. Dismissal is less likely unless other serious issues are present.
Communication is key
Open communication with your employer is essential. Document your requests in writing to avoid misunderstandings. If you choose to go on holiday (without permission), inform your employer of your plans and dates to avoid violating the Dutch Civil Code.
Conclusion
Even if fully unfit for work, employees must seek permission to go on holiday. In most cases, employers will not have a reasonable basis to refuse.
More information
Are you facing challenges with your employer or employee? Please do not hesitate to contact GMW Lawyers. We can work it out!
This is a sponsored post, text and image provided by GMW Laywers.
