Employment and Security in the Netherlands

Abstract

This paper deals with the changes that were introduced in Dutch labour law in 2015. The Act on Employment and Security aims at lessening the divide between outsiders with precarious employment relations and well protected insiders, enjoying dismissal protection and good employment conditions. In order to do so, the Act changes the rules concerning flexible employment as well as the rules concerning dismissal. It is regarded as most far-reaching change of Dutch dismissal law since the Second World War. This contribution first describes the aim and purpose of the act, then discusses the changes made to the law, and finally, though it is still early days, tries to critically assess the act.