Sick leave in the Netherlands: pay and your rights

This guide covers reporting sick, privacy, pay, temporary and flexible contracts, and the return-to-work timeline.

Key takeaways

• Report sickness to your employer as soon as possible and follow the workplace sickness reporting process.
• Your employer can ask practical questions, but not your diagnosis or the cause of your illness.
• Most employees with an active contract are paid by their employer first, usually at least 70% of wages for up to 104 weeks.
• Your contract or CAO may give you better pay terms or set waiting days and reporting rules.
• UWV usually becomes relevant in specific Sickness Benefits Act (Ziektewet) routes, such as when a contract ends during illness or you no longer have an employer.
• Long absences usually lead to a formal reintegration process that can later feed into a Work and Income according to Labor Capacity Act (WIA) assessment.

How to report sick in the Netherlands

On the first day you cannot work, take the following steps:

What your employer can and cannot ask

Dutch privacy rules protect sick employees. According to the Dutch Data Protection Authority, your employer can usually ask how long you expect to be away, how they can reach you, whether work needs to be handed over, and whether there was a work accident.

Your employer should not ask for or record your diagnosis or the cause of your illness. If a manager asks, you can say, “I am not able to work right now, but I would rather keep the medical details private.” Verify current privacy guidance if your employer asks for more.

When the company doctor gets involved

If your absence lasts beyond the very short term, the company doctor (bedrijfsarts) or occupational health service (arbodienst) becomes important. Under Arboportaal guidance, only the company doctor can assess whether you are temporarily unfit for work and what type of work may still be possible.

The company doctor can discuss medical details with you, but your employer should receive only functional information, such as whether you can work reduced hours or need adjusted tasks. For actual treatment, go through your GP or specialist, not HR, and make sure you understand how health insurance in the Netherlands works.

Health Insurance

Health insurance in the Netherlands

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Who pays you during sick leave?

The main question in most sick leave cases is who pays. Usually, it is your employer while you still have an active employment relationship. UWV does not automatically take over just because you called in sick.

Three different systems can apply to one illness: employer-paid sick leave while you still have an employer, the Sickness Benefits Act (Ziektewet) for specific sickness benefit cases, and the Work and Income according to Labor Capacity Act (WIA) if illness becomes long term.

Employer-paid sick pay during the first 104 weeks

Official UWV guidance and the Dutch government say employers usually continue paying at least 70% of gross wages for up to 104 weeks. In the first year, if that amount falls below the applicable minimum wage, the employer must top it up where the rule applies. Many CAOs and contracts are more generous, often paying 100% in year one.

Check your sick-pay percentage, any waiting days, the reporting procedure, and any extra CAO or staff handbook rules.

When UWV pays instead

UWV does not take over after a fixed number of weeks. It usually becomes relevant only in specific Ziektewet situations or later long-term benefit administration.

Employer sick pay and Ziektewet sickness benefit follow different routes, even though both relate to illness.

How temporary and flexible contracts change the rules

Contract type matters more than many expats expect. Fixed-term, zero-hours, on-call, min-max, and agency arrangements can change both pay and process, especially if you are sick near the end of a contract or outside an agreed work period.

Temporary contracts and contract end dates

If you have a temporary contract, the normal sick-pay rules usually apply while that contract is still active. But if the end date arrives while you are still sick, the employer does not have to extend the contract just because you are ill. In that scenario, the Dutch government says the employer may need to report you sick out of service to UWV, which then assesses possible ongoing payment entitlement and reintegration.

Example: if your six-month contract ends on June 30 and you are still off sick that day, your employer normally pays up to June 30, not beyond it. After that, the next step may shift to UWV.

Zero-hours, on-call, and agency work

Timing matters here. If you became sick during an agreed call-up period, you may still be entitled to pay for that period. If you became sick outside a call-up period, or your assignment ended, the route may be different.

The Dutch government’s guidance on on-call workers explains why zero-hours, preliminary-agreement, and min-max contracts should not be lumped together. Agency work can also follow its own CAO rules. If you are not sure whether “temporary” and “on-call” mean the same thing in your case, start by checking the contract wording.

For on-call work, the key detail is often not only “Am I sick?” but “Was I already in an agreed work period when I became sick?” That detail can affect who pays.

Long-term sick leave and reintegration

If your illness lasts longer, the Dutch system shifts from simple reporting into reintegration. This structured return-to-work process usually involves you, your employer, and the company doctor while the employment relationship continues.

The goal is a responsible return to work, which can mean adjusted tasks, fewer hours, or another suitable role. If you do not cooperate with reasonable reintegration steps, your pay can be affected. Under government guidance, both sides usually have to cooperate. If there is a dispute, check your CAO, consider a UWV expert opinion, or ask for a second opinion from another company doctor.

The key timeline from week 6 to week 104

The statutory timeline usually runs like this:

1. Day 1: You report sick to your employer and follow the workplace sickness process.
2. Week 6: The company doctor prepares a problem analysis, which sets out what you can and cannot do for work.
3. Week 8: You and your employer make a plan of action for reintegration.
4. Week 42: The employer reports long-term sickness to UWV.
5. Week 52: You and your employer complete the first-year evaluation and adjust the plan if needed.
6. Weeks 88 to 93: UWV starts the WIA insurance application stage, and you usually need copies of the reintegration documents.
7. Week 104: Standard wage continuation normally ends, and the next route depends on your work capacity and UWV assessment.

Keep copies of the problem analysis, plan of action, evaluations, and any messages about adjusted work.

What happens after 2 years of sickness?

After 104 weeks, standard employer wage continuation usually ends. If you still cannot fully work, UWV may assess you under the Work and Income according to Labor Capacity Act (WIA). That is a long-term work disability route.

Dismissal protection also changes after the two-year period if the legal conditions are met and reintegration has been handled properly. Because outcomes vary by case, confirm your status and the current WIA process with UWV and get specialist advice if you are asked to agree to documents ending your employment.

Check your contract, CAO, and workplace policy

Your own contract and CAO may add further requirements. Look for the following:

• your sickness reporting deadline and method
• the sick-pay percentage in year one and year two
• whether waiting days apply
• your CAO rules on reintegration, disputes, and suitable work
• the name of the company doctor or arbodienst contact
• how sickness during vacation is reported and recorded
• how weekends and public holidays in the Netherlands affect workplace reporting rules

This is also where broader Dutch employment law can help you understand dismissal protection, contract wording, and CAO structure. Next, compare your own documents against current UWV and Dutch government guidance to fully understand your pay or benefit route.

Labor Law

Dutch employment law

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Sources

• Sickness benefits – UWV
• A step-by-step guide to employee sickness – UWV
• Rules for employers regarding sick employees – Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens
• Role of the occupational health physician in illness and reintegration – Arboportaal
• Continued payment of wages during sickness – UWV
• How long do I get paid if I am sick? – Rijksoverheid
• Sickness – UWV
• Will my wages be paid if I get sick with a temporary contract? – Rijksoverheid
• Do I also get paid as an on-call worker if I am sick? – Rijksoverheid
• Rules and obligations during sickness – Rijksoverheid
• Reporting employee illness and recovery – Business.gov.nl