A practical guide to statutory leave and time-off rights in the Netherlands — annual leave, public holidays, sick pay, family leave and more. Every figure below comes from official sources: government.nl, business.gov.nl (the Netherlands Enterprise Agency) and the Employee Insurance Agency UWV. Many family leaves are paid not by the employer but by UWV, capped at the maximum daily wage of €304.25 (2026). A key Dutch quirk: there is no statutory right to paid public holidays — that is governed by your contract or collective agreement (CAO).
At a Glance
| Leave type | Duration | Paid? | Rate / who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual leave | 4× weekly hours/year (20 days full-time) | Yes | Normal pay (employer) |
| Holiday allowance | 8% of gross salary/year | Yes | Employer (usually paid in May) |
| Public holidays | No statutory entitlement | Depends on CAO/contract | — |
| Sick leave | Up to 104 weeks (2 years) | Yes | ≥70% of pay (employer; min-wage floor in year 1) |
| Pregnancy & maternity leave | 16 weeks | Yes | 100%, capped €304.25/day (UWV) |
| Birth leave (partner) | 1 week | Yes | 100% (employer) |
| Additional birth leave | Up to 5 weeks | Yes | 70%, capped €304.25/day (UWV) |
| Parental leave | 26× weekly hours per child | Partly | 9 weeks at 70% (UWV); remainder unpaid |
| Adoption / foster leave | 6 weeks | Yes | 100%, capped €304.25/day (UWV) |
| Short-term care leave | 2× weekly hours/year | Yes | 70% of pay (employer) |
| Long-term care leave | 6× weekly hours/year | No | Unpaid |
| Emergency leave | As needed | Yes | Normal pay (employer) |
Statutory Annual Leave and Holiday Allowance
Annual Leave (Vakantiedagen)
- Every employee is entitled to at least 4 times their weekly working hours in paid leave per year. For a full-time 5-day week this equals 20 days.
- Employers often grant additional non-statutory (bovenwettelijke) days through the contract or collective agreement (CAO).
- Wages continue to be paid by the employer during leave; statutory days cannot be paid out in cash while employed.
Expiry of Leave
- Statutory days expire 6 months after the end of the year in which they were earned — i.e. by 1 July of the following year.
- Non-statutory days remain valid for 5 years.
Holiday Allowance (Vakantiegeld)
- A mandatory holiday allowance of at least 8% of gross annual salary, normally paid as a lump sum in May or June.
- This is separate from, and additional to, paid leave days. Employees earning over three times the minimum wage may agree in writing to a different arrangement.
Public Holidays 2026
There is no statutory right to a paid day off on public holidays in the Netherlands. Whether a public holiday is a day off — and whether it is paid — is determined by the employment contract or collective labour agreement (CAO), not by law.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New Year's Day (Nieuwjaarsdag) |
| 3 April | Friday | Good Friday (Goede Vrijdag) |
| 5 April | Sunday | Easter Sunday (Eerste Paasdag) |
| 6 April | Monday | Easter Monday (Tweede Paasdag) |
| 27 April | Monday | King's Day (Koningsdag) |
| 5 May | Tuesday | Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag) |
| 14 May | Thursday | Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag) |
| 24 May | Sunday | Whit Sunday (Eerste Pinksterdag) |
| 25 May | Monday | Whit Monday (Tweede Pinksterdag) |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day (Eerste Kerstdag) |
| 26 December | Saturday | Boxing Day (Tweede Kerstdag) |
- King's Day falls on Monday 27 April in 2026. (When it falls on a Sunday it is moved to 26 April — not applicable in 2026.)
- Liberation Day (5 May) is commonly granted as a paid day off only once every 5 years under many CAOs (next in 2030 and 2035), so for many employees it is a normal working day in 2026.
Working Hours and Rest (Arbeidstijdenwet)
Maximum Working Hours (Aged 18+)
- Per shift: up to 12 hours.
- Per week: up to 60 hours.
- Averages: a maximum of 55 hours a week averaged over 4 weeks, and 48 hours a week averaged over 16 weeks.
Rest and Breaks
- Daily rest: at least 11 hours after a working day.
- Weekly rest: at least 36 consecutive hours in each 7-day period.
- Breaks: a 30-minute break when working more than 5.5 hours, and at least 45 minutes when working more than 10 hours.
Sick Leave (Loondoorbetaling bij Ziekte)
- The employer must continue to pay at least 70% of wages for up to 2 years (104 weeks) of illness.
- Year 1: if 70% is below the statutory minimum wage, it must be topped up to the minimum wage. Year 2: no minimum-wage top-up is required.
- 100% is paid for incapacity due to pregnancy, childbirth or organ donation.
- For employees who have reached state-pension (AOW) age, the obligation is reduced to 6 weeks.
- Many CAOs improve on the statutory minimum, often topping up to 90–100% in the first year.
Pregnancy and Maternity Leave (Zwangerschaps- en Bevallingsverlof)
- A total of at least 16 weeks: 4–6 weeks of pregnancy leave before the due date and at least 10 weeks of maternity leave after the birth.
- For a multiple birth, pregnancy leave can start up to 10 weeks before the due date.
- Pay: 100% of the daily wage, capped at the maximum daily wage (€304.25/day in 2026), paid by UWV.
- Extended leave is available where a baby is hospitalised after birth.
- Governed by the Work and Care Act (Wet arbeid en zorg).
Birth Leave for Partners (Geboorteverlof)
- Standard birth leave: 1 week (the partner's weekly working hours), paid at 100% by the employer, taken within the first 4 weeks after the birth.
- Additional birth leave (aanvullend geboorteverlof): up to 5 weeks, paid at 70% of the daily wage (capped at €304.25/day in 2026) by UWV, taken within 6 months of the birth.
Parental Leave (Ouderschapsverlof)
- Each parent is entitled to 26 times their weekly working hours of parental leave per child, usable any time until the child turns 8.
- 9 of those weeks are paid at 70% of the daily wage (capped at €304.25/day in 2026) by UWV — provided they are taken in the child's first year.
- The remaining weeks are unpaid.
- Each parent has their own separate entitlement.
Adoption and Foster Care Leave (Adoptie- en Pleegzorgverlof)
- 6 weeks of leave, paid at 100% of the daily wage (capped at €304.25/day in 2026) by UWV.
- Taken within a set window around the placement of the child.
Short-Term Care Leave (Kortdurend Zorgverlof)
- Up to 2 times the weekly working hours in any 12-month period, to care for a sick child, partner, parent or other close person.
- Pay: 70% of wages, paid by the employer (topped up to the minimum wage if 70% would fall below it).
Long-Term Care Leave (Langdurend Zorgverlof)
- Up to 6 times the weekly working hours in any 12-month period, to care for someone who is seriously ill or needs help.
- Unpaid.
Emergency and Short Absence Leave (Calamiteiten- en Kort Verzuimverlof)
- Paid leave for emergencies and unforeseen personal circumstances (for example a burst pipe, or a sick child who needs collecting).
- Lasts as long as reasonably necessary to deal with the urgent matter — from a few hours to a few days. The employer continues to pay wages.
Benefit Caps and Key 2026 Figures
| Figure (2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Maximum daily wage (cap on UWV benefits) | €304.25 gross/day |
| Statutory minimum wage (21+) | €14.71 gross/hour (from 1 January 2026) |
| Holiday allowance | At least 8% of gross annual salary |
The maximum daily wage caps every UWV-paid benefit above — maternity, additional birth, paid parental and adoption leave. It is reviewed on 1 January and 1 July each year.
Recent and Upcoming Changes to Watch
- Maximum daily wage rose to €304.25/day for 2026, raising the ceiling on all UWV-paid leave benefits.
- Minimum wage for 2026 is €14.71 gross/hour (21+) from 1 January 2026, relevant to the year-one sick-pay floor and short-term care leave.
- The paid parental-leave benefit remains 70% of the daily wage in 2026, and the core leave durations are unchanged.
Sources
All facts are taken from official Dutch State sources:
- Business.gov.nl — Holiday entitlement and Holiday allowance
- Business.gov.nl — Public holidays in the Netherlands
- Business.gov.nl — Working Hours Act
- Business.gov.nl — Sick pay
- Government.nl — Pregnancy and maternity leave
- Business.gov.nl — Leave schemes (birth, parental, adoption, care leave)
- Government.nl — Types of leave
- UWV — Paid parental leave and Additional partner's leave
- UWV — Maximum daily wage 2026 and Minimum wage 2026
This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Dutch employment law, collective agreements (CAOs) and benefit rates change regularly, and many entitlements depend on individual circumstances. Always confirm current rules on government.nl, business.gov.nl, with UWV or with a qualified adviser before relying on any single entitlement.
