The Netherlands is one step closer to banning zero-hours contracts, and if you’re one of the 2.7 million people with a flexible work contract, these changes will directly affect your hours and income.
On May 12, the Dutch House of Representatives voted to approve the Wet Meer Zekerheid Flexwerkers (also known as the Flexible Workers Security Act), intended to offer more protection for income and working hours.
It now heads to the Senate, where a vote is expected before the summer. If approved, changes will take effect on January 1, 2028.
Here’s exactly what changes, and what that means for you.
Zero-hours contracts may be replaced by “bandwidth contracts”
Should the new law come to pass, nulurencontracten (zero-hours contracts) will become a thing of the past. Your employer will no longer be able to call you in at any time, with no guaranteed hours or pay.
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Instead, they’ll be replaced by bandbreedtecontracten (bandwidth contracts), where you and your employer agree on a guaranteed minimum number of hours you’ll always be scheduled and paid for.
Your employer could then roster you for up to 30% above that minimum, so a 10-hour base means that you’d be working a maximum of 13 hours per week.
And, what if your employer offers you shifts above that maximum? Well, you’d be entitled to turn them down.
Plus, there’s also a built-in protection. If you regularly work more hours than your contract states, your employer would be required to offer you a new contract that reflects your actual hours.
Dutch temporary contracts may have stricter rules
The parliament also intends to close loopholes around temporary contracts, which currently allow some employers to keep workers on an endless cycle of short-term work.
Under the current system, an employer can give you three tijdelijke contracten (temporary contracts) over a period of three years.
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Once those contracts are used up, employers only need to wait six months before starting the whole cycle again — a practice known as the draaideur, or revolving door.
However, under the new law, that six-month gap will lengthen to three years.
Employers will now have to make a decision after three successive temporary contracts: offer the employee a permanent position, or let them go.
Who is exempt from the new zero-hours contract rules?
One point of concern raised during the debate is the fact that not all flexible arrangements disappear under the system proposed.
If the law comes to pass, two groups can still work without a guaranteed minimum number of hours:
- Students and young people with part-time side jobs
- Workers who have reached the AOW age (also known as the Dutch state pension age, currently 67)
As employers can still use on-call contracts for students, some employers may end up favouring this group over other flex workers who require a guaranteed-hours contract.
When do the new flex worker rules come into effect?
As of May 2026, the law still needs Senate approval. If that goes through, employers have until January 1, 2028, to update their contracts.
While nothing changes right now, if you’re on a zero-hour or flexible contract, it’s worth understanding what your current work contract actually entitles you to.
Are you on a zero-hours or flexible contract in the Netherlands, and will these changes make a real difference to your situation? Let us know in the comments.
