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NL Worker Compass
Practical guide · 2026

Working through a Dutch agency

Know who employs you, which terms apply and what to ask about guaranteed hours.

Last verified: 4 October 2026Official Dutch sources

The short answer

When an agency employs you, it is normally the agency that pays your salary, even though another company directs your daily work. Keep the agency’s legal name and contact details as well as the name and location of the company where you work.

Ask which CAO applies and which phase or contract arrangement you are in. Do not infer guaranteed hours from a full-time job advertisement. The ABU CAO for 2026–2028 uses equivalent employment conditions compared with a comparable worker at the hirer. Equivalent total conditions do not mean that every individual item must be identical.

Know who handles each issue

The agency can be your legal employer while the client organises daily work. Ask who approves hours, receives sickness reports and answers payroll questions. Housing may involve a separate landlord. Writing down these roles prevents a pay or safety issue from being passed back and forth without a clear request.

Review the package when assignments change

A change of client can affect location, travel costs, shifts or applicable working conditions. Ask what changes in writing and compare the new situation with the guaranteed contract. Keep older payslips and work history because they can matter when checking employment phases, pension and final wage balances.

What to do next

  1. Request a written explanation of the applicable CAO, guaranteed hours, pay scale and any agency clause.
  2. Ask how shifts, travel time, overtime, paid leave and pension are handled and shown on the payslip.
  3. Keep a separate housing agreement and check the consequences of illness or the assignment ending before it happens.
A practical example

Two agencies can quote the same hourly amount but differ in guaranteed hours, pension, leave and transport charges. Enter your own costs in the comparison tool, then assess the conditions that cannot be reduced to a monthly number.

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Questions people ask

Who should I contact about missing pay?

Start with the contractual employer or agency payroll team, in writing, with the dates and missing hours. Keep the hirer’s time records too. For suspected underpayment or unsafe conditions, use official help and reporting routes.

Do ABU and NBBU agency contracts end automatically when I report sick?

UWV explains that affiliated agencies cannot end the employment because of illness under these arrangements. An already agreed contract end date remains relevant.

Do I need a new BSN?

No. Changing employer does not replace your existing BSN. Update the relevant employment and contact details instead.

Does every agency use StiPP?

Do not assume so. Confirm the applicable provider and scheme with the employer.

Does losing the job automatically cancel my tenancy?

Not necessarily. Employment and housing need separate assessment using the rental agreement and applicable law or CAO.

Sources

Last verified: 4 October 2026. Sources are in Dutch or English.