Questions for the Recruiter (Netherlands Edition)

Updated 2026-10-25.

Version 2.0, May 2026.

Author’s channel: Telegram: @retran_in_the_netherlands

I welcome feedback, questions, additions and comments.

Why you need this list

A Dutch address doesn’t guarantee Dutch working conditions. It’s easy to assume that a company based here gives you European standards, legal protection and work-life balance. In reality, many international and expat-focused firms bring their own culture with them, and that culture isn’t European at all. From the outside, it only looks as if they follow the local rules.

Expats often mix mostly with other expats. So they don’t see at once the difference between “this is how we’re used to doing it” and “this is what Dutch law protects.” HR staff and lawyers in these companies are often expats themselves and know little about the local market.

This checklist helps you tell employers who actually follow European standards from those who put “Trust,” “Ownership” and “People First” on their website but follow different rules inside.

What this list is based on

It’s based on over three years of conversations with recruiters from dozens of companies (Dutch, German, French, Swedish, American and Russian). I also talked with staff of the Arbodienst, the occupational health service, including at a meeting of OVAL, their industry association. Other conversations were with the College voor de Rechten van de Mens (the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights), a mediator, employment lawyers and an inspector from the NLA (Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie, the Netherlands Labor Authority). Dozens of expats and EU citizens also shared their personal stories with me.

Is it okay to ask these questions?

Yes. In Dutch culture, it’s normal to ask directly about:

contract type and onboarding
sick leave and the Arbodienst
the role of the OR (Ondernemingsraad, the Works Council)
work-life balance and overtime
visas and the company’s erkend referent (recognized sponsor) status with the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst, the Immigration and Naturalization Service)
transparency of salary bands and grades
complaint procedures, ethics and the Code of Conduct

Dutch employers value directness and see these questions as professionalism, so asking them won’t mark you as “difficult.”

The risks when a company ignores the rules

Violations affect you directly:

Violations around illness, dismissal, overtime, bonuses and equity cost you money directly: underpaid salary, lost bonuses or RSUs (restricted stock units), unpaid sick leave and a missing transitievergoeding (statutory severance pay).
A mistake in the 30% ruling application can’t be undone, because you can apply retroactively for only 4 months. The 30% ruling is a tax benefit for expats, and losing it costs tens of thousands of euros over several years. Expats are hit hard, and the mistake often shows up only at the first tax return.
Pension mistakes (wrong fund, too low a base, no registration) add up over years and come to light too late. They hurt expats most, because you can’t pay retroactively for years the fund didn’t record.
If the company makes mistakes as an erkend referent (wrong dates, false data sent to the IND, sudden contract termination), it can ruin your visa status, even if you did nothing wrong.
Violations of the Arbowet, Poortwachter and WGBH/CZ lead to chronic stress, burnout and serious illness. These are the Dutch acts on working conditions, long-term sick leave and disability, and the violations include refused adjustments, pressure during illness, crunch time and bullying.
Even when you’re in the right, getting justice takes months or years, through the OR, a mediator, the UWV (the state employee insurance agency), a court, the College voor de Rechten van de Mens or the IND.
A bad dismissal leaves a trace with the UWV and the IND, and that trace will hurt your next job search. A dismissal is bad when it comes without documented performance problems, on grounds such as “cultural mismatch” or “communication issues,” or with mixed-up dates.
A company that bypassed the law once (forged documents, manipulated dates, set up a fake OR, ignored the Arbowet) will do it again.
At any moment, the regulator can fine the company a million euros or ban it from hiring expats.
A company’s toxic reputation follows you on your CV. In private, hiring managers admit they filter out candidates from certain firms, so you’ll be rejected for where you worked, whatever you did there.
The CSDDD (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, Directive 2024/1760) requires large European corporations to check the labor practices of partners throughout their supply chain, from July 26, 2029. An employer that systematically violates human rights risks losing major clients, and you risk losing your job.

Quick guide to the laws

Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 7 (Civil Code, Book 7: employment contract)

7:611 BW: Goed werkgeverschap / goed werknemerschap. Both parties must act as a “good employer” and a “good employee.” This is the core principle.
7:629 BW: The employer pays salary during illness for up to 104 weeks (usually at least 70%).
7:653 BW: Non-compete clauses. In a temporary contract, a non-compete needs a separate written justification of “substantial business interests” (zwaarwegend bedrijfsbelang).
7:669 BW: Dismissal by the employer. It requires a valid reason (redelijke grond) and proof that reassignment or retraining isn’t possible.
7:673 BW: Transitievergoeding, the minimum severance pay when the employer starts the dismissal.
7:613 BW: The employer changes employment conditions on their own. This is allowed only if the contract provides for it and the employer’s interest heavily outweighs the employee’s.

Wet op de ondernemingsraden (WOR, Works Councils Act)

Companies with 50 or more employees must have an OR (Works Council).
The council has veto power (instemmingsrecht) on key issues: working hours, holidays, working conditions, performance evaluations and bonuses.

Arbeidsomstandighedenwet (Arbowet, Working Conditions Act)

Requires the employer to sign a contract (basiscontract) with an occupational health service (Arbodienst).
Requires safe working conditions, including protection against stress and burnout (psychosocial workload).

Wet verbetering Poortwachter (Gatekeeper Improvement Act)

Sets the steps for long-term illness: a joint return-to-work plan, reports and UWV oversight.

Wet flexibel werken (Wfw, Flexible Working Act)

After 26 weeks of employment, an employee has the right to request in writing a change in hours, schedule or workplace (including remote work). If the employer refuses, they must give the reasons in writing.

Equal treatment laws (AWGB and WGBH/CZ)

AWGB (Algemene wet gelijke behandeling): The General Equal Treatment Act, a general ban on discrimination.
WGBH/CZ (Wet gelijke behandeling op grond van handicap of chronische ziekte): Protects people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. It requires employers to make reasonable adjustments (doeltreffende aanpassingen) where they’re technically and financially feasible.

IND and erkend referent

The sponsor has a duty of care (zorgplicht) toward the employee, must keep records and must report data to the immigration service promptly.

Mini-glossary of terms

You’ll need these terms in interviews and, if it comes to that, in a conflict.

CAO (Collectieve Arbeidsovereenkomst): Collective labor agreement. It almost always takes precedence over a personal contract and fixes salary scales, indexation and benefits that can’t be canceled.
OR (Ondernemingsraad): Works Council, an elected body of colleagues. It’s mandatory from 50 employees and is the only legal counterweight to management.
UWV (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen): The state employee insurance agency. It grants dismissal permits (if you object) and pays unemployment benefits.
Juridisch Loket: Free state legal advice, for a first assessment of your situation.
Vast contract (Onbepaalde tijd): Permanent contract. It’s the most stable option, because ending it is difficult and expensive for the employer.
Tijdelijk contract (Bepaalde tijd): Temporary contract. It ends automatically on the specified date.
Proeftijd: Probation period: at most one month for contracts up to 2 years and two months for permanent ones. The employer can fire you with one day’s notice, but if you ask, they must give a non-discriminatory reason. The burden of proof lies with the company.
Concurrentiebeding: Non-compete clause, a ban on working for competitors. In a fixed-term (temporary) contract, it’s invalid without a strong written justification (zwaarwegend bedrijfsbelang).
Relatiebeding: Non-solicitation clause, a ban on poaching clients and employees. Companies often use it as a milder alternative to a non-compete.
VSO (Vaststellingsovereenkomst): Settlement agreement, the most common way to end employment. Never sign one on the spot, because a mistake in the wording will cost you your unemployment benefits.
Transitievergoeding: Severance pay: one third of a monthly salary for each year of employment, building up from day one.
Billijke vergoeding: Additional “fair compensation” a court awards if the employer acted culpably (ernstig verwijtbaar).
WW-uitkering (Werkloosheidswet): Unemployment benefit. To get it, you need a VSO that states the employer started the termination and you’re not at fault.
Vakantiegeld: Holiday allowance, 8% of annual salary, paid in May or when you leave. Check whether it’s included in your base salary (inclusive) or paid on top (exclusive).
13e maand: Thirteenth-month salary. It’s a bonus with no legal requirement behind it, unless the contract or the CAO sets one.
Arbodienst: Occupational health and safety service. The employer is obliged to hire one, and the Arbodienst, not your HR, handles your illness case.
Bedrijfsarts: Company doctor from the Arbodienst. Only their verdict on your ability to work is legally binding. A manager has no right to ask for your diagnosis.
Wet verbetering Poortwachter: The “Gatekeeper” Act: a fixed procedure for long-term illness. If the employer misses a step, the UWV fines the company.
Plan van Aanpak: Reintegration plan, which you and the employer sign in the 8th week of illness.
Tweede spoor (2nd track): A phase of illness (usually after 1 year) when the employer must look for work for you outside their company.
IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst): Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Kennismigrant (HSM): Highly skilled migrant status, tied to a sponsor company. If you lose your job, you have 3 months to find a new one.
EU Blue Card: An alternative to HSM status. It requires a recognized diploma and gives slightly more freedom to move within the EU.
Zorgplicht (Duty of Care): The sponsor employer’s obligation to inform the IND about any changes in your life.
Erkend referent: The company’s status as a “recognized sponsor.” A company can’t hire an HSM without it.
30% ruling (30%-regeling): A tax benefit for expats. You and the employer apply for it together, so make sure they apply on time.
Loonheffingskorting: Payroll tax credit. It applies to only one job at a time.
Jaaropgave: Annual income statement. The employer must provide it.
Box 1 / Box 3: Tax categories: income from work (Box 1) and savings and investments (Box 3).
NLA (Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie): The Netherlands Labor Authority. It fines companies for overtime, illegal workers and unsafe conditions, which makes it your ally.
Kantonrechter: Cantonal judge. The standard, affordable state court for labor disputes.
Rechtsbijstandverzekering: Legal aid insurance. It’s essential protection for expats, so take it out before a conflict starts.

How to use this checklist

Choose 2-4 questions that suit the current stage (screening, hiring manager interview or final round), and don’t ask everything at once.
Treat the interview as a negotiation between equal partners, and watch how they react:
- If they answer calmly and to the point and send links to documents, that’s ✅ a plus for them.
- If they get annoyed, laugh it off, change the subject or call you nitpicky, that’s 🚩 an answer too.

The questions

Section 1. Contract and legal status
Section 2. Visa, 30% ruling and CAO
Section 3. Money and compensation
Section 4. Benefits and infrastructure
Section 5. Working hours and balance
Section 6. Culture and stability
Section 7. Protection and career mobility

Section 1. Contract and legal status

What type of contract are you offering?

Why ask: In the Netherlands, a permanent contract (onbepaalde tijd) is the norm.
Nuance: The chain rule (ketenregeling) allows at most 3 temporary contracts in 3 years, and the fourth one must be permanent.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We offer a permanent contract right away (with a 2-month probation period).” The company is confident in you and in itself. This is common practice, especially when you leave a permanent job elsewhere, even though many people believe temporary contracts are mandatory.
✅ Normal answer (first job in NL): “The first contract is for 1 year, then it becomes permanent. We’re ready to sign a letter of intent (intentieverklaring) for a mortgage or rental.”
🚩 Red flag: “We use a chain of one-year contracts” or “We extend it for a year, up to three times.”
The risk: They deliberately keep you in an uncertain position for 3 years. That way they avoid paying Transitievergoeding (under old schemes) or can let you go easily if a project closes. It’s a sign of instability or pressure.

What is the probation period? (Proeftijd)

Why ask: To test whether HR knows the law.
✅ Good answer: Exactly what the law says: 1 month for a temporary contract and 2 months for a permanent one.
🚩 Red flag: “It’s a standard 2 months for everyone” (for a 1-year contract).
The risk: This clause is illegal (nietig) and void, so in effect you have no probation period at all. It also shows that HR is incompetent.

Is there a non-compete clause? (Non-compete / Concurrentiebeding)

Why ask: It’s the most dangerous trap in IT.
The law: In a temporary contract, a non-compete is invalid without a strong written justification (zwaarwegend bedrijfsbelang).
✅ Good answer: “Not for this position” or “Only a ban on poaching clients (Relatiebeding) for 6 months.”
🚩 Red flag: “It’s a standard clause: you can’t work for competitors or start a business in this field for 12 months anywhere in Holland.”
The risk: It blocks your career: if you go to a competitor, they’ll sue you. You can challenge the clause only in court, which takes time and money.

Can I see a typical onboarding plan and the documented criteria for passing the probation period?

Why ask: So that “you didn’t fit the culture” doesn’t come as a surprise on your last day. Written criteria protect you from arbitrary decisions.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “Yes, we have a 30-60-90 Day Plan. It states who to meet, what access to get and which tasks to complete.”
🚩 Red flag: “We’re flexible, you’ll figure it out with your manager on the spot” or “The main thing is to have fire in your eyes.”
The risk: “Fire in your eyes” is highly subjective. Without clear expectations, the company has room to maneuver and you have none.

How is the intellectual property clause phrased? Does the company claim rights to my pet projects (Open Source) created in my free time?

Why ask: Some contracts contain a draconian clause that gives the employer rights to everything you create while employed, even at home on weekends.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “The clause applies only to what you create during working hours, on our equipment or directly for company tasks. We respect your hobbies.”
🚩 Red flag: “This is a standard clause: all intellectual property created during employment belongs to the company. We don’t change this text.”
The risk: With broad wording, you’d have to prove in court that a pet project has nothing to do with the company’s business. It’s safer to remove this risk before you sign.

Has the company ever unilaterally changed working conditions (schedule, bonuses, remote work)? How was this agreed upon?

Why ask: To check whether they respect the contract and the OR. Some companies cancel remote work or bonuses with an email from the CEO, ignoring the law.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We avoid doing that. When we had to (for example, when we changed the hybrid policy), we first got official approval from the OR, as the law requires, and gave a transition period.”
🚩 Red flag: “The market changes, and we adapt. We recently canceled remote work on Fridays and sent out a notification.”
The risk: This directly violates Art. 7:613 BW. If a company changes the rules without solid reasons and without OR consent, it won’t respect your personal contract either.

Section 2. Visa, 30% ruling and CAO

How do we arrange the 30% ruling?

Why ask: You and the employer apply for it together.
✅ Good answer: “We apply immediately through an agency, and all tax benefits go to you.”
🚩 Red flag: “We keep part of the benefit to cover costs” or “We’ll apply after your probation period.”
The risk: In the first case, the benefit belongs to you, but the firm keeps it: they’re robbing you. In the second, you lose money for the first few months, because you can apply retroactively for only 4 months and HR often misses the deadline.

Do you have a CAO (Collective Labor Agreement)?

Why ask: A CAO guarantees salary indexation and conditions above the legal minimum.
✅ Good answer: “Yes, we follow our sector’s CAO, such as Metalektro or ICK.”
✅ Normal answer: “We don’t have a CAO, but we have a staff handbook (Personeelsgids), and we’ll send it to you.”
🚩 Red flag: “A CAO is for factories, we’re an agile startup.”
The risk: Companies must follow a CAO based on their activity code (SBI code, the Dutch standard industry classification). Companies that evade it don’t have to raise salaries or pay into the industry pension fund, so they save money at your expense.

Why ask: You need this status for a Kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) visa.
✅ Good answer: “Yes, our registry number is [number], and we process visas in 2-3 weeks.”
🚩 Red flag: “We’re in the process of getting the status, it’ll be any day now” or “We’ll hire you through a payroll company.”
The risk: “In the process” drags on for months and might end in a rejection. Payroll (hiring through an intermediary) means you’re legally not the firm’s employee: you’re easier to fire, have fewer rights to bonuses and stay an outsider in the team.
Nuance: Payroll is fine when a foreign firm has no legal entity in the Netherlands. It lets you earn an American salary on a legal Dutch visa.

How do you control data sent to the IND? Who protects against date and salary mistakes?

Why ask: Sponsor status obliges the company to report everything to the IND. An HR mistake, such as a wrong contract end date or a salary that drops below the HSM threshold because of unpaid leave, leads to visa cancellation.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We use the ‘four eyes’ principle (two people check the documents), or we hire an external agency. We check the data with you before we send it to the IND.”
🚩 Red flag: “It’s a simple form, our office manager fills it out” or “We never make mistakes.”
The risk: For the company, a mistake costs a small fine. For you, it’s a gap in your legal stay, which resets your 5 years toward permanent residence or citizenship, or invalidates your 30% ruling.

Section 3. Money and compensation

Is there an open grading system (Salary Bands) and is my place in it clear?

Why ask: To avoid discrimination and to know your career ceiling.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “Yes, there’s a transparent competency matrix and salary bands. You join at Middle step 2, the ceiling for this role is X, then you move to Senior.”
⚠️ Medium answer: “Grades exist for HR, but they aren’t public. We discuss salary individually.”
🚩 Red flag: “There’s no strict framework, we pay market value.”
The risk: An “individual approach” without a transparent system creates a pay gap: a newcomer earns more than a veteran because they bargained harder.

How does the Salary Review / Indexation system work?

Why ask: Prices in Europe rise with inflation, so if your salary doesn’t grow, you get poorer.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We index the base salary to inflation automatically (as in a CAO) and set aside a budget for merit increases.”
✅ Normal answer: “We review salaries in January. The percentage depends on your performance and the company’s budget.”
🚩 Red flag: “We review the salary if the employee asks” or “There’s no fixed schedule.”
The risk: You’ll have to beg for a raise every time, and your salary won’t change until you bring a competing offer.

Is the holiday allowance (8%) included in the annual sum or paid on top (Vakantiegeld)?

Why ask: It’s a classic trap for expats. Say the recruiter quotes you €60k.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “€60k is the base (gross salary). On top of that, you get an 8% holiday allowance in May or in equal monthly installments. The total annual package is €64.8k.”
✅ Normal answer: “It’s an all-in sum. We pay it in 12 equal installments, including the holiday allowance.”
🚩 Red flag: The recruiter is evasive or says “Well, that’s the total package” without giving a breakdown.
The risk: You expect €60k plus holiday pay but get €55k, because the holiday allowance is already inside the monthly payments. That’s an 8% difference.

Is there a 13th month salary or bonuses? Under what conditions are they paid?

Why ask: So you don’t confuse guarantees with probabilities.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “There’s a fixed 13th month (paid to everyone in December) and a variable bonus (based on company KPIs).”
✅ Normal answer: “There’s a bonus scheme with a target of 10% of your income. It depends on the company’s EBITDA and your goals.”
🚩 Red flag: “There are bonuses at management’s discretion” (a discretionary bonus), with no formula.
The risk: “At discretion” means “if the director is in a good mood.” You can’t budget for this income.

How does the pension scheme (Pensioen) work?

Why ask: Expats often ignore pensions, though they make up 15-20% of the contract’s hidden value. The state pension (AOW) is small, so your only hope is the company one.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We pay 100% of the pension contributions, and nothing is deducted from your salary.”
✅ Normal answer: “It’s a 50/50 scheme (or the company pays 2/3 and the employee 1/3). Your contribution is deducted from your gross salary.”
🚩 Red flag: “We don’t have a pension fund, we’re a startup” or “We give an allowance, set up your own pension.”
The risk: You lose large savings and tax benefits. Setting up a private pension yourself is expensive and complex.

How do options and equity work? (ESOP / SARs / RSU)

Why ask: To make sure the equity is worth something. ESOP is an employee stock option plan, SARs are stock appreciation rights and RSUs are restricted stock units.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “These are RSUs of a public company” or “These are options with a clear vesting schedule (4 years, 1-year cliff) and documented buyback conditions when you leave.”
🚩 Red flag: “These are phantom shares, we’re still writing the vesting rules” or a Bad Leaver clause that takes away all your shares if you resign voluntarily.
The risk: A Bad Leaver clause is meant for an employee who steals or breaks the law. If it triggers on a normal resignation, your shares are a fiction meant to keep you from leaving.

Section 4. Benefits and infrastructure

Do you compensate for commuting and working from home? (Reiskosten / Thuiswerkvergoeding)

Why ask: It’s a small detail, but it shows their attitude to the law, because these allowances are tax-free.
✅ Normal answer: “We fully cover commuting (NS Business Card) or pay 23 cents per kilometer. Plus €2.45 for each work-from-home day (NIBUD standard for 2026).”
🚩 Red flag: “No, you already get a good salary.”
The risk: This is petty: the state gives the company a tax break for these allowances, and the company keeps that money at your expense.

Is there a corporate discount on health insurance (Collectieve Zorgverzekering)?

Why ask: Health insurance is expensive (€130-180 a month). A corporate discount, usually 5-10% on supplementary packages, shows care, and some employers pay for the insurance directly.
Nuance: Since 2023, the law forbids discounts on basic insurance from a specific provider because of gray schemes. Discounts are allowed only on supplementary cover.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “Yes, we have a contract with [Name]. Employees get an extended physiotherapy and dental package for free, or a family discount.”
✅ Normal answer: “We don’t compensate for insurance, as the salary covers it. But we can recommend reliable providers.”
🚩 Red flag: “That’s your problem” (combined with a low salary).
The risk: Missing collective insurance isn’t critical, but in IT it’s a basic hygiene factor.

Is there a personal Learning & Development (L&D) budget and how does it work?

Why ask: To find out whether the company invests money in your growth or only words.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “Yes, everyone has €1000-2000 a year for courses, conferences and books. We approve the budget automatically if the topic is work-related.”
🚩 Red flag: “We have an internal knowledge base and mentoring” (read: we have no money, study in your free time) or “We allocate a budget on request, if the manager approves” (a risk of favoritism).
The risk: In IT, your market value drops without training, and you’ll have to pay for courses out of pocket.

How does the company organize reintegration (re-integratie) during long-term illness under the Wet verbetering Poortwachter?

Why ask: If you haven’t returned to your role after a year of illness, the law requires the employer to look for work (and retrain you) inside the company (Eerste spoor, the first track). After that, the employer looks outside the company (Tweede spoor). A good employer has contracts with outplacement agencies for this. The answer shows whether this is routine for them or chaos.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We follow the protocol strictly. For the Tweede spoor, we work with a certified agency, [Name]. We have a budget for retraining (re-integratie opleiding).”
🚩 Red flag: “Our company doctor (Bedrijfsarts) decides that. We handle it case by case, there are no agencies.”
The risk: Without a retraining budget, the company will do the bare minimum, which delays your return to work and adds stress.

Section 5. Working hours and balance

How is overtime paid or compensated (Overtime / Overuren)?

Why ask: Many IT companies treat overtime as normal, but it has a limit.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We value balance. Overtime is rare. If it happens, we have a ‘Time-for-Time’ system (one hour off for each hour of overtime).”
✅ Normal answer: “For your level, overtime is included in the base salary (all-in), but we make sure it doesn’t become a habit.”
🚩 Red flag: “We work for results, we don’t have standard hours, nobody drops their pen at 17:00.”
The risk: “Working for results” is code for crunch time, bad management and unpaid weekend work. In the Netherlands, systematic overtime violates the Arbeidstijdenwet (Working Hours Act).

What mechanisms prevent overtime, rather than just compensating it?

Why ask: To tell a crunch culture from healthy planning.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “The time-tracking system sends alerts. If HR sees overtime, we set up a meeting to reduce the load or hire help. Overtime is a planning failure.”
🚩 Red flag: “We’re adults and manage our own time” or “We’re a startup, sometimes we have to push hard.”
The risk: “We manage our own time” means nobody tracks your workload, but they still demand results strictly. That leads straight to burnout and violates the Arbowet.

Do you have “waiting days” for sick leave (Wachtdagen)?

Why ask: By law, an employer can choose not to pay for the first 1-2 days of illness. It’s an outdated practice, but some employers still use it.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “No, we pay 100% of your salary from day one.”
✅ Normal answer: “We pay 100% (or 70% during long-term illness), but there’s one ‘waiting day’ per year.”
🚩 Red flag: “We don’t pay for the first two days, then we pay 70%.”
The risk: You’ll go to work sick to avoid losing money, infect colleagues and make your health worse. The practice shows that the company doesn’t trust its employees.

How do you work with the Arbodienst and prevent burnout?

Why ask: To check whether HR knows its duties under the Arbowet.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We have a contract with [Service Name]. There’s a confidential counselor (Vertrouwenspersoon) for anonymous complaints. We run a health check (PMO, preventive medical examination) once a year.”
🚩 Red flag: “What’s an Arbodienst?” or “If you get sick, write to your manager, they’ll sort it out.”
The risk: A manager has no right to handle medical issues or ask for a diagnosis. Without an independent doctor, you’ll be pressured and forced to work while sick.

What is the policy if someone gets sick during probation or in their first year?

Why ask: To see whether the company uses illness as a legal excuse to fire people.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We follow the law (Poortwachter). Illness is force majeure, not a reason for dismissal. We involve a doctor, pay the salary and wait for recovery.”
🚩 Red flag: “During probation, we part ways without giving reasons. If you get sick right away, we’re not a match.”
The risk: Firing during probation is legal. But the answer shows that the company sees you as a resource to replace when it breaks, and that attitude means stress every time you feel unwell.

What is the approach to hybrid work (Hybrid / Remote Policy)?

Why ask: To make sure flexibility isn’t a trap.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We trust our employees. We ask you to be in the office a couple of days a week to sync up, but we don’t micromanage it. We provide a budget for a home office.”
✅ Normal answer: “We have fixed days: three in the office, two at home. It’s stated in the contract.”
🚩 Red flag: “We brought everyone back to the office: we believe magic only happens at the water cooler” (while the job is writing code in headphones).
The risk: This is a sign of micromanagement and mistrust. If a company can’t manage people remotely, its processes are chaotic.

The right to a hybrid schedule in the Netherlands

Dutch law gives you no automatic right to remote work, but the Wet flexibel werken (Wfw) gives you the right to request a change of workplace.

How it works:

After 26 weeks of employment, an employee can submit a written request to change their workplace, even to fully remote.
The employee submits the request 2 months before the change takes effect.
The employer must respond in writing within a month. If they stay silent, the request is approved automatically.
A refusal needs solid business reasons: scheduling issues, safety concerns or the nature of the work. “It’s more convenient for us” isn’t a valid reason.
The employee can file the next request only after a year.
The law applies only to companies with 10 or more employees.

For expats, the Wfw covers requests to work only within the EU. Working remotely outside the EU needs separate approval because of the company’s tax risks.

The Arbowet applies at home as it does in the office. The employer must ensure safe working conditions and can refuse remote work if your home environment is unsafe.

Case law: if an employer has silently allowed remote work for years, they can’t suddenly order an employee back to the office without a serious reason, because that violates the principle of goed werkgeverschap (7:611 BW).

How do you measure employee performance (Performance Review)?

Why ask: To understand how they’ll judge your work.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We have a transparent Growth Framework. We set OKRs (objectives and key results) for the quarter. Evaluation is based on results, not hours spent in the office.”
🚩 Red flag: “The manager watches how you work and gives feedback once a year” or “We use Stack Ranking: we have to fire the bottom 10%.”
The risk: Evaluating “by eye” breeds favoritism. Stack ranking creates toxic competition: you have no reason to help a colleague, because if they shine, you might get fired.

How many vacation days do you offer above the legal minimum (Annual Leave)?

Why ask: The legal minimum is 4 weeks (20 days for a 40-hour week). Anything above it shows their real attitude toward rest.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We give 25-30 days a year (5-10 days over the minimum). You can buy or roll over extra days.”
The benefit: Extra days are standard in the Netherlands, and they prove the company values rest in practice.
⚠️ Medium answer: “We give exactly 20 days, no extra days. You can take unpaid leave by agreement.”
The risk: This is the bottom of the market: you’ll rest as little as the law allows.
🚩 Red flag: “Some days expire if you don’t use them, and we don’t track it.”
The risk: The company is saving money on your rest. “Few vacation days, but a high salary” is an excuse that covers up a crunch culture, and “You can’t take vacation during the busy season” guarantees burnout.

Is there a policy for working from abroad?

Why ask: Working from abroad creates tax risks for both sides, and a policy proves the firm understands the law.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “Yes, we have an official policy. We allow up to 4 weeks a year from EU countries. We have a list of approved countries and a clear approval process.”
The benefit: The company has sorted out taxes and insurance (A1-certificaat). Four weeks is the market standard.
⚠️ Medium answer: “There’s no formal policy, but you can agree on it with your manager. Usually, people work for a couple of weeks while on vacation.”
The risk: It all depends on trust: if your manager changes, the policy disappears.
🚩 Red flag: “Work from wherever you want, the result is all that matters.”
The risk: The company ignores tax risks, and those risks will fall on you. The other extreme is “You can only work from the Netherlands; leaving means vacation,” which gives you zero flexibility.

Section 6. Culture and stability

What are the official channels for complaining about a manager or bullying?

Why ask: This is a safety test. The law (Wet bescherming klokkenluiders, the Whistleblower Protection Act) requires companies with 50 or more employees to have a technically independent complaint channel, so corporate email or Teams doesn’t count.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We have an external counselor (Vertrouwenspersoon) and an anonymous, independent platform (like SpeakUp). HR partners don’t report to your department. The investigation procedure is formal.”
🚩 Red flag: “We have an open-door policy: just come to the CEO,” “We’re a family, we don’t have such problems,” or “Write to our corporate email.”
The risk: “We’re a family” is a toxic marker: a bullying victim will be pushed to stay silent to keep “the atmosphere.” Complaints to a corporate email aren’t anonymous, because the sysadmin sees the sender.

Why is this position open?

Why ask: To learn the history of the seat you’re taking.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “The team is growing, we’re launching a new product” or “The employee was promoted and moved to another department.”
✅ Normal answer: “The previous employee worked here for four years and left for another company.”
🚩 Red flag: “The person couldn’t handle it, we fired them” (said with irritation) or an evasive “We didn’t get along.”
The risk: If an employer speaks badly about a former employee in an interview, in a year they’ll talk about you the same way.

What is the average employee tenure?

Why ask: Firing people in the Netherlands is difficult, so high turnover means people leave on their own.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “Three to five years on average. Many come back (boomerang employees).”
🚩 Red flag: “We have a young, dynamic team” (meaning only juniors who leave after a year) or “We constantly bring in fresh blood.”
The risk: High turnover is a serious warning sign: conditions inside are bad enough that people leave even permanent contracts.

(For companies with 50+ employees) How do you work with the OR (Works Council)?

Why ask: To check how mature the company is and whether it follows the law.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We have an active OR. We discuss major changes, sometimes we argue, but it helps the business.”
🚩 Red flag: “We don’t have one, we’re a family” (this is illegal) or “They just get in the way, we work around them.”
The risk: If management treats the council as an enemy, it makes decisions in an authoritarian way, without telling employees.

What happens if an employee disagrees with a manager’s decision?

Why ask: To test for a culture of silence.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We value honesty and encourage ‘Speak Up’. We admit mistakes and discuss other opinions.”
🚩 Red flag: “We have a strict hierarchy, the leader’s decisions aren’t up for debate” or “If you don’t believe in our mission, we’re not a match.”
The risk: This points to a cult or a tyranny, where you can’t grow professionally and can only obey.

Does the company support ERGs (Employee Resource Groups)?

Why ask: The answer shows whether “People First” is a slogan or a reality.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “Yes, we have active groups. The company provides a budget, and meetings take place during working hours.”
✅ Normal answer: “Employees organize interest-based clubs on Slack themselves.”
🚩 Red flag: “You come to work to work, not to play in clubs” (for companies of 100+ people).
The risk: It’s a sign of an outdated culture. In the Netherlands, mature businesses treat support for diversity and inclusion as standard, and a company with no ERGs often also has toxic management and ignores work-life balance.

Does the company provide “reasonable adjustments” for people with health conditions?

Why ask: To find out whether they’re willing to adapt processes to a person or only want interchangeable workers. The law (WGBH/CZ) requires these adjustments, but many companies ignore it.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We discuss it individually. We have a budget for ergonomics, allow special schedules and buy noise-canceling headphones or specialized software. We focus on results, not the process.”
🚩 Red flag: “We have an open plan office and a single schedule. Exceptions would ruin the team spirit.”
The risk: It’s a sign of a rigid system and discrimination. If you ever need a special arrangement, even a temporary one for migraines or a bad back, the company will become a hostile environment.

Section 7. Protection and career mobility

How formalized is the company-initiated dismissal process?

Why ask: So you aren’t thrown out in a single day. Dismissal in the Netherlands is complex, and some companies try to get around it with pressure. It ends badly for them, but you’ll lose time and energy.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We follow the law strictly. First come official warnings and a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). If that doesn’t help, we go through the UWV or a court, or offer a generous settlement (VSO) with a budget for lawyers and outplacement.”
🚩 Red flag: “If a person isn’t performing, we talk human-to-human, and they leave.”
The risk: “Human-to-human” means psychological pressure (“resign or we fire you for cause”) to avoid paying severance. If the company has no formal PIP, you’re at risk.

How easy is it to change teams or roles?

Why ask: So you don’t depend on one manager or one tech stack.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We support internal mobility. We post vacancies internally first. If you want to change teams, your current manager can’t block you.”
🚩 Red flag: “We hire you for a specific task. We don’t encourage transfers, as they weaken the team.”
The risk: It’s a feudal system where you “belong” to your manager. If the relationship goes bad or the project gets boring, your only way out is to quit.

How does salary change when moving to another role internally?

Why ask: For engineers, changing teams and roles is normal. In immature companies, you might get stuck at your old salary because technically the move isn’t a “promotion,” and your track record starts again from zero.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We support transitions. For a promotion, we guarantee a raise according to the new grade. For a lateral move, we re-evaluate your skills and adjust the salary to prevent a pay gap.”
🚩 Red flag: “Changing teams is great for your experience, but the salary won’t change until you earn a promotion in the new place” or “We look at it individually.”
The risk: It’s a feudal system: managers block transfers, and employees resign to earn what they deserve.

How does the company protect against retaliation if an employee files a complaint?

Why ask: Complaining about a manager is scary, because the person who complains is often pushed out afterward, buried in tasks or ignored.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “We have zero tolerance for retaliation. The Code of Conduct lists it as a separate violation, and it gets you fired. If you file a complaint, HR monitors your situation and performance reviews.”
🚩 Red flag: “We rely on the professionalism of our managers” or a confused look: “Why seek revenge? We’re all adults.”
The risk: Without a working non-retaliation policy, you can complain only once, right before you quit.

What happens if the company revokes an offer after you have accepted it?

Why ask: It’s rare, but it happens: you accept an offer, and a week later the company says the “budget closed” or the “position is frozen.” By then, you might have declined another offer or quit your current job.
⭐️ Ideal answer: “In all my time here, that has never happened. An offer is our commitment.”
✅ Normal answer: “Theoretically possible in case of force majeure, but we always compensate the candidate’s losses.”
🚩 Red flag: “An offer isn’t a contract, we have the right to withdraw it before signing” or an evasive answer about “changed circumstances.”
The risk and what the law says:

Under Dutch law, an offer is a legal proposal (aanbod). Once you accept it (aanvaarding), the contract exists, even if you accepted verbally and signed nothing, and the company can’t revoke it after that.

Legal precedents:

Gerechtshof Leeuwarden, December 19, 2007 (JAR 2008/37): An employer offered a new contract, learned about the employee’s health issues a few days later and revoked the offer. The employee accepted it two days after the revocation. The court ruled that the employer had revoked the offer solely because of illness, which violates the principle of good employment (goed werkgeverschap), and granted the claim. Illness isn’t a reason to revoke an offer.
Rechtbank Noord-Holland, November 23, 2021 (ECLI:NL:RBNHO:2021:12829): A candidate worked through outstaffing and discussed a permanent contract, and the employer sent a written congratulation on the upcoming hire. Later, the company refused the candidate time off for the holidays, the candidate took sick leave, and the company immediately broke off negotiations. The court found the break premature, because the company should have called in the company doctor (arbodienst) first. It ordered the company to pay compensation: the income the candidate lost while unemployed.

The Utrecht court (Rechtbank Midden-Nederland) has ruled in a similar way three times, in 2017, 2022 and 2023. The employers argued the offer was unsigned, but the court looked at the whole picture: the tone of negotiations, the expectations and how the employer reacted to the candidate’s vulnerability (illness, pregnancy or a request for a higher salary). If the employer pulled the offer because of this vulnerability, the court protected the worker.

2017: After the employee was in a car crash, the company dragged out negotiations on a permanent contract and used a salary dispute as cover. The court awarded €27,500.
2022: The employer promised a permanent contract in writing and recorded it in meeting minutes, but didn’t follow through. The court awarded €20,000.
2023 (ECLI:NL:RBMNE:2023:1005): An offer to extend a contract “expired” in DocuSign the day after the employee announced her pregnancy. The court ruled that the contract was extended for a year.

In one case the court denied compensation (Gerechtshof Den Haag, September 8, 2006, ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2006:AZ0209). A candidate for a portfolio manager role received a draft contract and asked major questions about pensions and the company’s right to change terms. The employer stopped negotiations, even though the candidate had already quit his previous job. The court ruled that breaking off negotiations was acceptable, because the parties hadn’t agreed on key points. The lesson is that the court protects you only if you’ve agreed on all core terms (role, salary, start date). If even one major point is open, the company can walk away without penalty.

If the company still revokes the offer:

Before you accept it: formally, revoking is legal. But if negotiations went far and you had every reason to expect a hire, a court might see this as a breach of good-faith negotiation. The leading precedent comes from the Dutch Supreme Court (Hoge Raad, CBB/JPO, August 12, 2005, NJ 2005/467): parties can break off talks “unless it is unacceptable because the other party justifiably relied on the contract.” Courts apply this strictly: they award lost profits only if the level of trust was extremely high, and they cover negotiation costs at a lower threshold.
After you accept it: the company has broken the contract. You have the right to demand that it fulfills the contract or pays damages: lost income from your previous job, moving expenses or missed offers.
Special case, a temporary contract: if the employer doesn’t tell you in writing one month in advance that they won’t renew the contract (aanzegtermijn), they must pay a penalty (aanzegvergoeding) of up to one month’s gross salary.

Another 🚩 red flag is a “letter of intent” (intentieverklaring) or a “preliminary non-binding offer” in place of a real offer. The company is deliberately avoiding responsibility, because such a letter isn’t an aanbod and forms no contract, even if you “accept” it. It means the company is unsure about hiring you or is avoiding commitment on purpose. Ask for a proper offer letter or contract.

In practice, check that the offer states the start date and terms clearly, without “surprises” such as “offer valid subject to budget approval.” Such a clause is a red flag even before you sign.

History

Version	Date	Event
2.0	2026-05-18	CSDDD data updated, offer revocation precedents added, complaint channels section fixed, fact-check completed, structure improved, and editorial review conducted.
1.0	2025-12-10	First publication.