Works

On this page you can read everything you need to know regarding working for Flexible Human Services in the Netherlands. In this article we will give you more information about: wages, contracts, laws and safety in the workplace.

Contract and Wage

Flexible Human Services is a employment agency, watch a video below from EURES on what a employment agency is, what it can do for you and the benefits of working for a employment agency . 

Contracts

Because we are a employment agency , we work with a temporary employment contract that can only be given by employment agencies. This contract consists of phases and sometimes with a temporary employment clause. More on what this entails below.

There are three phases:

Phase A: lasts up to 52 weeks (1 year). Legally, this is a 0-hour on-call contract. This means that a employment agency, when there is no work, does not have to pay you. However, FHS offers you a work guarantee of 36 hours per week in a Phase A contract. This means that even if we are unable to offer you work, and there is nothing you can do about it, you will be paid for 36 hours a week. Even in a Phase A contract. Read more about this in our 7 certainties!

Phase B: In phase B, you may receive a maximum of 6 contracts within 3 years. The contract includes an hourly guarantee of 120 hours per period (4 weeks). FHS also offers a work guarantee of 36 hours per week here. This means that we also positively deviate here and you can also enjoy the benefits of the 7 certainties of FHS!

Phase C: After completing Phase A and B, you may receive a Phase C contract. This is an open-ended contract. The Phase C contract offers a contractual hourly guarantee of 144 hours per 4 weeks (36 hours per week). Less contractual hours can also be agreed depending on your wishes, for example, if you want to stay home one day with your (newborn) child.

Unique to FHS is that we can offer you a Phase C contract after only 1 year. We do this with employees who perform well and whom we believe in! Naturally, we want to retain and reward good employees. A phase C contract gives you more security.

The contract contains other things such as your trial period when you start work (the probationary period), working conditions, the notice period or your pension. The agreements in the contact must be kept by you and FHS . You always get to read your contact before you close it. It is in your own language and written in understandable language. Should you still have questions, we will be happy to explain what something means.

Temporary employment clause

Phase A contracts often include a temporary employment clause . A temporary employment clause is a provision in the temporary employment contract that ensures that this contract between temporary worker and employment agency ends prematurely if the assignment stops. If you work as a temporary worker with a Phase A contract with the 'temporary employment clause', your work can therefore stop if the client where you work determines that the assignment stops. You will then only receive pay for hours worked. You may work a maximum of 52 weeks under a phase A contract with temporary employment clause. After that you will be given a temporary contract, in which a number of hours has been set and your contract can no longer be terminated on the basis of 'end of assignment'.

Wage

The Dutch government sets the legal minimum wage. This is a minimum amount you should receive when you work. This minimum wage is set for people 21 years of age or older. If you are under 21, you are entitled to the legal minimum youth wage. Many employers have a collective bargaining agreement (CAO).
This is a collection of agreements, which apply to employees working in that industry/sector. It includes various things such as working hours, allowances and wages. If there is a CAO , you will receive the wages agreed upon in it. This is always equal to or higher than the legal minimum (youth) wage.

At Flexible Human Services you are guaranteed to always receive the FHS-guaranteed wage. We offer at least the guaranteed wage based on a 38-hour work week. We do this even when the company where you work operates a 40-hour work week, which means the legal minimum wage is actually lower. Below is a table for comparison:

Paycheck and payout

If you have a Phase A contract, you will get your wages paid weekly into your bank account.

With a Phase B or C contract, you will receive your pay in your bank account every 4 weeks.

In the Netherlands, it is mandatory to transfer wages to a bank account in the name of the person for whom the wages are. Paying wages in cash is prohibited by law. This is to ensure that everyone receives the minimum wage and employees are not underpaid. So it is important to have a bank account in your own name.

Before you receive your salary, we always send you your payslip. You receive this via our application. Your payslip tells you how much you have earned over the past week or 4 weeks. On your payslip you will see your gross and net pay, and the taxes and premiums we withhold. For example, this is your income tax, also called loonheffing. This is the income tax you have to pay to the Dutch government. You can see on your pay slip how many hours you have worked and the period for which you are paid. Supplements for overtime and expenses are also listed on your payslip. You can also see here what we deduct from your wages, for example, for housing and health insurance.

Working Hours Act

In the Netherlands, there is a law for everything concerning working hours and hours, the Working Hours Act. This includes, for example, the obligation to pay for extra hours worked. And it stipulates that you may not work more than 12 hours per day and a maximum of 60 hours per week. Read more about the Working Hours Act here. You will find brochures in Dutch, Polish, German and English. The rules around working hours, allowances and break times within specific sectors are often included in the CAO.

Safe working environment

Safety in the workplace applies to many things; from not working too long to protective equipment such as safety glasses, but it also includes not being bullied in the workplace. In the Netherlands, there are several laws, regulations and agencies that ensure your safety in the workplace.

In the Netherlands, employers and employees must follow certain rules in order to work as healthily and safely as possible. These rules are described in the Working Conditions Act. Topics covered in this law include: what to do when working with hazardous substances, how to deal with heavy physical work, what protective equipment to use in certain work situations and how to properly organize your workplace.

Do you think your workplace is not safe?

Always discuss this with the supervisor on the shop floor or your coordinator. If nothing changes, after talking to your coordinator and workplace supervisor, contact the Social Guidance team at FHS.

The company you work for has specific safety rules regarding safe working practices. They will inform you of the rules on the shop floor and provide you with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment. (Except for your work shoes, which you will receive from FHS). Not sure what the safety rules are or do you have any questions about them? Then ask your supervisor on the shop floor. Do you have concerns about safety on the shop floor and cannot discuss them with your supervisor on the shop floor? Then contact your coordinator. If you can't go there either, you can contact team Social Guidance. They will discuss your concerns with the safety coordinator at FHS.

In addition to the employer, it is of course important that you yourself ensure a safe workplace. Observe safety instructions and wear protective equipment when necessary. You are required to report unsafe situations immediately to the supervisor on the shop floor. If you are involved in a workplace accident or an unsafe situation, you must report it to your supervisor. Do you not understand something, or is something not safe in your opinion? Discuss it with your supervisor.

It is important that you have the right protective equipment to work healthily and safely. For example, they protect your head, eyes, ears, hands and feet, or your lungs. They reduce the risk of (permanent) injury or illness. The company you work for gives you the protective equipment. You are responsible for the proper use and maintenance of the personal protective equipment. Your employer can explain to you how to do this.

FHS has the safety and health of its employees very high priority. We like to help make sure that you can work you safely....

Confidential counselor

Bullying and unwanted behavior can also create an unsafe workplace. Bullying or aggressive behavior at work can cause psychological problems or physical injury. This can make you less able to do your job. Always report this to your supervisor. In many companies there is someone available who can discuss this with you in confidence and help you find a solution. Also, FHS has a confidential counselor that you can always call when such a situation arises. This person is happy to listen to your story and will help you find a solution.

Work and illness

Want to know what your rights and obligations are when it comes to work and pregnancy in the Netherlands? You can find out on this page.

What happens if you get sick? What are your rights and obligations then? You can find information about this on this page.

ABU
Flexible Human Services has held the ABU certificate since 2018. The ABU represents flex workers and employment agencies in the Netherlands. The ABU has drawn up a Fair Recruitment Code (FRC) that stands for a transparent and fair recruitment process. We support this and are happy to inform you about the topics covered in the FRC. Click here for an ABU video about working in the Netherlands.