The Working Hours Act (WML) and the Working Hours Decree state how long employees may work in a certain period and when they are entitled to a break or rest period.

Working Hours Act

The Working Hours Act (Dutch) sets out rules about, among other things, working on Sundays, night work (Dutch), standby shifts and on-call shifts. The rules of the Working Hours Act apply to everyone aged 18 and older who works for an employer, including interns, agency workers and posted workers.

Working Hours Decree: exceptions and additions

The Working Hours Decree (Dutch) sets out exceptions and additions to the Working Hours Act. There are exceptions and additions to the working hours for:

  • Certain sectors and for categories of employees or professions, for example healthcare, transport and mining.
  • Certain situations, such as sudden, dangerous situations, where compliance with statutory rules would prevent adequate action.
  • 2 vulnerable groups: young people under 18, pregnant women, and women who have recently given birth.

Working Hours (Adjustment) Act

The Working Hours (Adjustment) Act (Dutch) gives employees the right to work more or less, enabling them to combine work and care tasks better.

Supervision and enforcement

Employees themselves must ensure the rules regarding work and rest times are obeyed. If not they can contact their employer. Employees can also inform their works council if they suspect that the employer is not complying with the rules. The Netherlands Labour Authority and - for the transport sector (Dutch) - the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate regularly check on their own initiative to ensure the working hours rules are being complied with. If you suspect that the standards are being exceeded and you cannot reach a solution with your employer, you can report this (anonymously) to the relevant authority.

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