How Many Statutory Holiday Days Should Contracts Include in the Netherlands

You're drafting your first Dutch employment contract, and you've hit the holiday clause. Your UK template says 25 days plus bank holidays. Your US policy mentions PTO. But what does Dutch law actually require?

Here's the thing: the Netherlands doesn't work like most countries you're used to. The statutory minimum isn't a fixed number of days. It's a formula tied to weekly working hours. Get this wrong, and you're either non-compliant or overpaying without realising it.

For mid-market companies hiring across Europe, understanding how many statutory holiday days should contracts include in the Netherlands isn't just a legal checkbox. It's the foundation for building consistent, defensible employment policies that scale.

Key Takeaways

• Dutch statutory annual leave equals four times an employee's contracted weekly working hours (4× weekly hours), not a universal day count
• A 40-hour workweek yields 160 statutory hours per year, which equals 20 days when administered in 8-hour increments
• Public holidays are separate from statutory leave and aren't automatically paid days off unless your contract or collective agreement says so
• Holiday allowance (vakantiebijslag) of 8% gross salary is a mandatory cash payment distinct from vacation days
• Most Dutch employers offer above the statutory minimum to stay competitive, particularly in professional sectors
• Teamed can help design Dutch holiday policies that fit within broader European frameworks without creating compliance gaps

Statutory Paid Holidays in the Netherlands for Full-Time Employees

Statutory annual leave in the Netherlands is a legally mandated minimum amount of paid vacation that equals four times an employee's agreed weekly working hours (4× weekly hours) under Dutch law.four times an employee's agreed weekly working hours (4× weekly hours) under Dutch law.

This means a Dutch employee contracted for 40 hours per week has a statutory minimum of 20 paid holiday days per year when leave is administered in 8-hour days (160 statutory hours ÷ 8 hours per day = 20 days), according to the Dutch government information portal Business.gov.nl.

The formula matters more than the headline number. A 36-hour workweek yields 144 statutory hours. A 32-hour workweek produces 128 hours. The "20 days" figure only applies to full-time employees on a standard 40-hour, 5-day pattern.

This entitlement applies to all Dutch-law employment contracts regardless of whether the employer is Dutch or foreign. Statutory paid holidays accrue over time, and employees continue to accrue during paid leave and certain absences. If you're used to UK or US fixed-day allowances, this shift to hours-based calculation is one of the most important adjustments when expanding into the Netherlands.

Track statutory entitlement in hours rather than days. Your HRIS and payroll systems need to handle this correctly from day one.

How Many Statutory Holiday Days to Include in Dutch Employment Contracts

A Netherlands contract that states "20 days" as a fixed entitlement can become non-compliant for employees whose standard workweek is not 40 hours. Teamed recommends stating holiday entitlement in hours and referencing "at least 4× weekly hours" as the statutory baseline.

You have three main approaches when drafting Dutch contracts:

Statutory minimum only. Lean and compliant. You grant exactly what the law requires. This works, but it positions you at the bottom of the market.

Statutory minimum plus additional contractual days. Market-aligned and clearer for employees. You state the statutory baseline, then add a defined number of extra days. This separates legal requirements from your competitive positioning.

Global policy baseline adapted to Dutch law. Coherence across countries with local compliance. You set a company-wide standard and adjust Dutch contracts to meet or exceed local requirements.

The pros and cons break down simply. A fixed number aids planning but can become outdated if laws change or if you hire someone on different hours. Linking to the statutory minimum adds flexibility while ensuring compliance.

For multi-country mid-market companies, Teamed advises modelling the Netherlands leave cost using statutory hours plus any contractual top-up, because the statutory baseline varies by weekly hours rather than a single fixed day count. This approach prevents perceived unfairness when employees compare entitlements across your European locations.

Are Public Holidays Included in Statutory Vacation Days in the Netherlands

A public holiday in the Netherlands is a calendar-designated day such as King's Day or Christmas that is not automatically a paid day off unless the employment contract or an applicable collective labour agreement provides for paid leave or closure.

This surprises many international employers. Statutory vacation days are legally separate from public holidays. The 20-day minimum (for full-time) doesn't include public holidays, and there's no automatic right to paid time off on those days.no automatic right to paid time off on those days.

Dutch public holidays are not automatically counted as paid time off under statutory annual leave rules, so any "paid public holiday" cost should be modelled separately from the 4× weekly-hours statutory leave entitlement, according to Teamed's Netherlands policy benchmarking approach.

Common models in Dutch contracts include treating public holidays as extra paid days on top of statutory vacation, treating them as normal working days with premium pay or time off in lieu, or hybrid approaches with compensatory time off.

This differs from some European countries where public holidays are assumed non-working. If your UK policy assumes bank holidays are automatic paid days off, you'll need explicit Dutch contract terms rather than assuming the same applies.

Typical Netherlands Vacation Days Above the Statutory Minimum

Most Dutch employers grant a modest uplift above statutory to stay attractive. In knowledge-intensive sectors like technology, financial services, and healthcare, additional time off beyond the legal floor is common.

The market typically frames this as extra weeks or a discretionary bank of days. When benchmarking, consider both vacation days and public holiday treatment together. A minimum-only offer can feel out of step with Dutch expectations, particularly for professional roles.

Teamed can advise on "minimum compliant," "market average," or "premium" positioning for mid-market employers. The right choice depends on your talent strategy, internal equity considerations, and whether you're aligning Dutch staff to a global entitlement or matching local expectations when those are richer.

Statutory Holiday Entitlements for Part-Time and Flexible Workers in the Netherlands

A Dutch employee contracted for 32 hours per week has a statutory minimum of 128 paid holiday hours per year (32 × 4 = 128), which equals 16 days if the employee's normal day is 8 hours (128 ÷ 8 = 16), according to Teamed's Netherlands contract-calculation guidance based on the 4× weekly-hours rule.

Part-time employees receive a proportional equivalent to full-time colleagues. The entitlement is tied to contracted weekly hours, not a reduced day count. A 24-hour workweek yields 96 statutory hours per year.

In Dutch employment administration, tracking leave in hours rather than days reduces pro-rating errors for part-time and compressed schedules. Teamed treats "statutory leave hours = weekly hours × 4" as the operational control formula for payroll and HRIS configuration.

For flexible patterns like annualised hours, rotations, or compressed weeks, define a clear contractual weekly hours basis for the calculation. Address public holidays that fall on non-working days for part-time staff to avoid working-hours discrimination.

How Dutch Paid Holidays Fit into Wider Employee Benefits in the Netherlands

Holiday allowance in the Netherlands is a mandatory additional payment (vakantiebijslag) typically calculated as 8% of gross salary and intended to support employees in taking annual leave.

This is separate from statutory vacation days. Employees receive both, each with distinct legal rules. Dutch holiday allowance (vakantiebijslag) is commonly 8% of gross salary and is separate from the statutory leave days entitlement, according to Business.gov.nl and corroborated in employer guidance cited by Teamed.

Related benefits interact with holiday policy, including sick leave, parental leave, and maternity leave. Many employers go beyond statutory minimums in these areas too.

When comparing total reward across countries, consider both Dutch vacation days and holiday allowance together. The Dutch mix of vacation days plus vacation money creates a different reward profile than neighbouring countries. Treat the Netherlands as a combined time-off-plus-cash package rather than comparing days alone.

Key Netherlands Leave Laws HR and Finance Leaders Must Understand

Carry-over and expiry differ for statutory versus non-statutory leave. Statutory leave generally expires six monthsCarry-over and expiry differ for statutory versus non-statutory leave. Statutory leave generally expires six months after the year it was accrued. Employers must actively encourage employees to take statutory leave, and failure to do so can extend the expiry period.

If an employee becomes sick before or during planned holiday, certified sickness days generally should not be deducted from statutory leave. Statutory leave accrues during periods such as sick leave and certain paid family leaves, subject to legal conditions.sick leave and certain paid family leaves, subject to legal conditions.

A collective labour agreement (CLA or CAO) in the Netherlands is a sectoral or company-level agreement that can set binding employment terms, including holiday entitlements, that may exceed statutory minimums for covered employees. Where a CLA applies, it can override standard contract templates.

Temporary and agency worker rules require equivalent overall remuneration to comparable permanent staff, covering holiday days and benefits. For European employers, Dutch enforcement expects adherence. Inconsistent cross-country practice can trigger audit issues.

Designing Dutch Holiday Policies for Mid-Market Companies with 200 to 2,000 Employees

For mid-market employers (200 to 2,000 employees) running multi-country policies, Teamed advises modelling the Netherlands leave cost using statutory hours plus any contractual top-up, because the statutory baseline varies by weekly hours rather than a single fixed day count.

Start with your existing global holiday policy and fit Dutch rules and market practice within it without creating inequity. Define global minimum standards, then layer country-specific adjustments where law or expectations differ materially.

Document and communicate differences so managers understand why Dutch holiday terms diverge from other European locations. Model cost and capacity impact when going beyond statutory minimum. Align Finance and People teams on assumptions before finalising policy.

Teamed can help build a scalable Dutch framework that includes review points, works council involvement where required, and consistency across contractors, EOR arrangements, and entities.

Aligning Netherlands Vacation Days with European Leave Policies

European countries all mandate paid leave, but mechanisms differ on public holidays, bonuses, and carry-over compared with the Dutch system. Paid public holidays in the Netherlands depend on contract or CAO terms, while statutory annual leave is a separate legal entitlement that must be granted regardless of public-holiday policy.

Map building blocks in each country: statutory minimum, contractual top-up, public holiday treatment, and special allowances. Then position the Netherlands within that structure.

Alignment strategies typically involve setting a global contractual-day baseline and adding country-specific components where laws or norms are more generous. Don't force uniformity that would undercut Dutch legal baselines or market norms. That risks attrition and reputational harm.

A fixed "20 days per year" clause matches the Dutch statutory minimum only for a 40-hour workweek, while an hours-based clause of "4× weekly hours" remains correct for both full-time and part-time contracts. Use the UK, Germany, and France as context points to show where Dutch practice fits into your European policy picture.

How Mid-Market European Companies Should Handle Dutch Holiday Days Across Contractors, EOR, and Entities

Independent contractors generally are not entitled to statutory paid holidays. Misclassification risk rises if control and patterns mirror employment. This is a critical distinction for companies transitioning workers between engagement models.

With an employer of record (EOR), the EOR is the legal employer ensuring statutory compliance. But you need to understand entitlements and costs and ensure alignment with your broader policy. The EOR handles administration, but you're still responsible for strategic decisions about positioning.

When hiring via a Dutch entity, your company must set and administer statutory entitlements and align contracts, policies, and payroll. Keep holiday and public holiday treatment consistent when people move from contractor to EOR to direct employment in the Netherlands.

Teamed supports these transitions and designs Dutch holiday terms that remain consistent across models, using decision-support tools with human-led guidance across countries.

Strategic Holiday Policy Decisions for Mid-Market Employers in the Netherlands

Dutch law sets a floor. Most employers position above it to stay competitive. The right number of holiday days in contracts depends on legal compliance, internal equity, talent expectations, and financial impact across your European footprint.

Review Dutch holiday policy regularly as laws, CLAs, and company scale evolve. Don't decide in isolation. Combine Dutch legal insight with multi-country strategy to reduce risk and improve clarity.

A coherent Dutch holiday policy is one building block in a larger cross-border approach that eases burdens on internal teams. Talk to the experts at Teamed to design Dutch holiday policies that are compliant, competitive, and aligned to your European framework.

FAQs About Statutory Holiday Days in the Netherlands

How should we handle statutory holiday accrual in the Netherlands for employees who join or leave mid-year?

Statutory holidays accrue proportionally over time. Calculate entitlement based on the period actually worked and ensure contracts, HRIS, and payroll handle starters and leavers cleanly.

What happens to unused statutory holiday days in the Netherlands when an employee leaves the company?

Payment in lieu of untaken holiday in the Netherlands is the settlement of accrued but unused leave upon termination, typically paid out on the final payslip in accordance with Dutch statutory rules and contract terms.

How do collective labour agreements in the Netherlands affect statutory holiday entitlements in practice?

CLAs can increase entitlements, adjust carry-over, or add mandatory closure days. Where a CLA applies, it overrides standard contract wording. Always check the relevant agreement first.

Do Dutch employees accrue statutory holiday days while they are on sick leave?

Yes, employees generally continue to accrue statutory holiday during sickness, subject to legal conditions. Align HR systems so sick leave and holiday accrual are tracked correctly.

How should hybrid and remote work patterns influence our Dutch holiday policy design?

Hybrid and remote work doesn't change the statutory basis (contracted hours), but employers should clarify scheduling and public holiday treatment so distributed teams can use leave effectively.

What is mid-market?

Mid-market refers to companies with 100 to 1,000 employees (serviceable range: 50 to 2,000), typically with revenue between £10M and £1B, that are scaling internationally but not yet enterprise-scale.

How often should a European company review its Dutch holiday policy to stay compliant?

Review regularly for legal and CLA changes and as the company grows. Many mid-market employers align this with their annual policy review or audit cycle.or