In the Netherlands, all employees, whether full-time or part-time, are entitled to at least four times the number of hours they work per week as paid vacation leave. This is in accordance with the Dutch Working Hours Act (Arbeidstijdenwet). For instance, a full-time employee working a standard 40-hour workweek is entitled to a minimum of 20 days (or 4 weeks) of paid leave per year. The same proportional amount of leave is granted to part-time employees, based on their working hours.

Annual Holiday Allowance

Dutch employees receive an annual holiday allowance, usually paid out in May or June. The standard holiday allowance is 8% of the employee's gross annual salary earned in the previous year.

Beyond the Legal Minimum

Many employers in the Netherlands offer vacation days beyond the legal minimum. This is often specified in an individual employment contract or a Collective Labor Agreement (CAO). It is common for Dutch employees to receive 25 or more days of paid vacation annually.

Requesting and Taking Vacation Leave

Employees must request vacation leave from their employer. Employers can deny requests if there are valid business reasons for doing so. Statutory vacation hours expire six months after the end of the calendar year in which they were accrued. For example, leave earned in 2023 must generally be taken by June 30th, 2024. However, employees who were reasonably unable to take leave within that timeframe may be entitled to carry it over.

Non-Statutory Leave

Vacation days provided beyond the statutory minimum are referred to as non-statutory leave (bovenwettelijke vakantiedagen). Non-statutory leave usually expires five years after it was accrued.

In the Netherlands, there are several public holidays that are commonly observed. These holidays can be categorized into national holidays, Christian holidays, and regional holidays.

National Holidays

The national holidays include:

• New Year's Day (Nieuwjaarsdag): Celebrated on January 1st.
• King's Day (Koningsdag): Celebrated on April 27th. If the 27th falls on a Sunday, the holiday is observed on April 26th.
• Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag): Celebrated on May 5th. This holiday is celebrated with extra enthusiasm every 5 years.

Christian Holidays

The Christian holidays include:

• Good Friday (Goede Vrijdag): This holiday is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday.
• Easter Sunday (Pasen): This holiday is observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox.
• Easter Monday (Tweede Paasdag): This holiday is observed on the day after Easter Sunday.
• Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag): This holiday is observed 39 days after Easter Sunday.
• Whit Sunday (Pinksteren): This holiday is observed 49 days after Easter Sunday.
• Whit Monday (Tweede Pinksterdag): This holiday is observed on the day after Whit Sunday.
• Christmas Day (Eerste Kerstdag): Celebrated on December 25th.
• Boxing Day (Tweede Kerstdag): Celebrated on December 26th.

Regional Holidays

In addition to the national and Christian holidays, some regions or municipalities may have additional local holidays. It's important to note that not all employers grant paid leave on every public holiday. For instance, Liberation Day is celebrated as a national holiday with extra festivities every five years.

In the Netherlands, there are several types of leave available to employees. These are broadly categorized into statutory leave, which is mandated by law, and special leave, which is typically dependent on the employer's policies, collective labor agreements (CAO), or individual employment contracts.

Statutory Leave

Statutory leave is mandated by Dutch law and all employers must adhere to these regulations.

Annual Leave (Vakantieverlof)

Employees are entitled to a minimum of four times their weekly working hours in paid time off per year (usually around 20 working days minimum). Many employers offer more than the statutory minimum, typically 25 days. Holiday entitlement is accrued over the year. The legal basis for this is the Working Hours Act (Arbeidstijdenwet).

Maternity Leave (Zwangerschaps- en bevallingsverlof)

This leave is for a total of 16 weeks: at least 4-6 weeks before the due date and 10 weeks after the birth. The employee receives 100% of her salary during maternity leave, paid by the UWV (Employee Insurance Agency). The legal basis for this is the Work and Care Act (Wet arbeid en zorg).

Paternity/Partner Leave (Geboorteverlof or Partnerverlof)

Partners are entitled to 1 week of paid leave at 100% of their salary within four weeks of the child's birth. Since July 2020, partners have an additional entitlement of up to 5 weeks' of paid leave at 70% of salary. This leave must be taken within 6 months of the child's birth. The legal basis for this is the Work and Care Act (Wet arbeid en zorg).

Parental Leave (Ouderschapsverlof)

This is unpaid leave for parents to care for a child under the age of eight. The entitlement is 26 times the employee's weekly working hours and can be taken in installments. The legal basis for this is the Work and Care Act (Wet arbeid en zorg).

Adoption and Foster Care Leave (Adoptie- en pleegzorgverlof)

Leave provisions similar to maternity/paternity leave apply for adoption and fostering situations. The legal basis for this is the Work and Care Act (Wet arbeid en zorg).

Care Leave (Zorgverlof)

There are two types of care leave. Short-term care leave allows for up to 2 weeks per year at 70% of salary to care for a seriously ill relative. Long-term care leave is unpaid leave of up to 6 weeks per year to provide longer-term care. The legal basis for this is the Work and Care Act (Wet arbeid en zorg).

Emergency Leave and Short-term Absence Leave (Calamiteitenverlof en kort verzuimverlof)

This is short paid leave for unforeseen situations like sudden doctor's appointments, a household emergency, etc. The legal basis for this is the Work and Care Act (Wet arbeid en zorg).

Special Leave (Bijzonder Verlof)

Special leave is not always mandated by law and typically depends on the employer's policies, collective labor agreements (CAO), or individual employment contracts. Examples include:

• Leave for Moving House
• Leave for Religious Events
• Leave for Weddings
• Compassionate Leave

Important Notes:

Many workplaces have additional leave arrangements through collective labour agreements (CAO's), so it's worth checking these terms. Accrual periods, notice requirements, and the exact pay provisions might vary between employers. Employers generally cannot deny mandatory statutory leave requests unless there are very serious business objections.