- I have planned a holiday that has been canceled, can I refund or get my days off?
This depends on your employer. Talk about this.
- I want to cancel my vacation, can my employer refuse?
Yes, your employer can refuse that. When there is enough work, this will not happen so quickly. But is there too little work or has replacement already been arranged? Then your employer may do this.
- Can my employer prohibit me from going on holiday abroad?
No, your employer may not prohibit you from going on holiday abroad. The only thing your employer can agree with you is when you go on vacation. He is not allowed to determine anything about the holiday destination. He may only ask you not to go to a risk area. You do not have to adhere to this.
- Can my employer oblige me to take leave or vacation because there is less work?
No that is not allowed. In principle, your employer must continue to pay your wages, even if you have less to do, work from home or are sick.
- What is arranged for a doctor's visit and a dentist visit during working hours?
There is no legal regulation for visiting the dentist or doctor during working hours. Whether agreements have been made about this can often be found in your collective labor agreement, employment contract or internal company regulations. The reason for this is that many employees cannot see a doctor, dentist or physiotherapist on weekends or evenings. If there is nothing in your collective labor agreement or company regulations, you can discuss with your employer whether you will continue to be paid during absence.
- What is emergency leave?
Emergency leave, also known as short-term absenteeism leave, is a statutory regulation that comes into effect when you have to take time off immediately. Emergency leave is aimed at unforeseen personal circumstances - calamities.
- What is short-term care leave?
Short-term care leave is a statutory scheme for employees. This arrangement gives you the opportunity to take care of a sick or needy person in your immediate environment. This often concerns first and second degree blood relatives, members of your household and acquaintances (for example parents-in-law, neighbors or friends). The condition for the latter group is also that given the relationship it is likely that you are the only one who can provide the care.
- What is long-term care leave?
Long-term care leave is a statutory scheme for employees. This arrangement gives you the opportunity to take care of someone close to you who is life-threateningly ill or who is dependent on help for a longer period of time. This often concerns first and second degree blood relatives, members of your household and acquaintances (for example, parents-in-law, neighbors or friends). The condition for the latter group is also that given the relationship it is likely that you are the only one who can provide the care.
- What is maternity leave?
Maternity leave is a statutory regulation that stipulates that a pregnant employee is entitled to a total of at least 16 weeks of pregnancy and maternity leave. The commencement date depends on the expected delivery date. You can start the leave from 6 weeks, no later than 4 weeks before this date.
- What is parental leave?
Parental leave is a statutory regulation that provides that you are given more time to care for your child (ren). You can submit a request for parental leave to your employer. This statutory regulation applies to your child (ren) aged up to 8 years.
- Am I entitled to special leave?
Special leave applies in situations such as a funeral or wedding of a family member, a move or a doctor's visit. (Except in the event of the death of a direct family member. In that case, emergency leave applies, which may then turn into special leave.) Contrary to popular belief, there is no statutory regulation for special or special leave. This means that you are not automatically entitled to a day off with continued payment of your wages.
- What has been arranged if I want to take unpaid leave for free use?
There is no statutory regulation for taking unpaid leave. You should therefore not confuse it with the statutory regulations whereby you can stop your work in time to provide care, for example. If you want to take unpaid leave as an employee, you can ask your employer about the possible options. Please note that with unpaid leave your income will be lower and that this can have consequences for supplements, benefits, pension accrual and vacation days.
- How many vacation days am I entitled to?
As an employee you are always entitled to legal holidays. How many vacation days you are entitled to depends on the number of hours you work per week. This is expressed in hours and is four times your number of contract hours on an annual basis. If you work 40 hours a week, you are therefore entitled to 160 holiday hours. (And with that 20 vacation days.) In addition, you may be entitled to vacation days that exceed the statutory value. We will explain more about this in the third question in the segment 'holidays'.
- What are legal holidays?
Statutory vacation days are the minimum number of vacation days to which you are legally entitled. As an employee you are always entitled to legal holidays. How many vacation days you are entitled to depends on the number of hours you work per week. This is expressed in hours and is four times your number of contract hours on an annual basis. If you work 40 hours a week, you are therefore entitled to 160 holiday hours. (And with that 20 vacation days.)
- What are non-statutory holidays?
You accrue standard vacation days with your employer. These are the legal holidays. But there are also vacation days that are extra statutory. If you receive a number of vacation days in addition to your statutory vacation days, these extra days are the vacation days that exceed the statutory value.
- When do my holidays expire?
You always want to prevent the expiry of your vacation days. That is why it is good to know when your holidays expire. The legal vacation days expire six months after the calendar year in which they were accrued. The expiry period of the extra-statutory holidays is much longer. You can take extra days of vacation up to five years after the calendar year in which they are accrued. When you apply for a holiday with your employer, it is therefore advisable to indicate that you first want to take your statutory holidays.
- Does my employer have to agree with my vacation application?
In principle, your employer must approve your vacation application. Also look at the rules that apply at your employer. Your employer may only reject your vacation application if your business is endangered by your absence. If this is the case, your employer must let you know in writing within 2 weeks. If this does not happen within 2 weeks, your holiday application has in principle been approved.
- Am I entitled to ATV / ADV days?
In principle, the law does not say anything about working hours and working hours reduction, in other words adv or atv days. You can check in your employment contract, personnel guide or collective labor agreement whether specific agreements have been made. In these agreements you can read the number of atv and adv days, and what their status is. For example, it may be agreed that these days are free to take, but also that your employer will include them in your schedule.
- I have a zero hours contract. Do I also accrue vacation days?
Yes. You also accrue vacation days with a zero-hour contract. But because you do not work a fixed number of hours per week, it cannot be indicated in advance how many vacation days you will accrue. How your vacation days are accrued depends on your employment contract or collective labor agreement that goes with it.