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NL Worker Compass
Practical guide · 2026

Holiday allowance and annual leave

Separate the money you build up from paid time off.

Last verified: 4 October 2026Official Dutch sources

The short answer

Vakantiegeld is a cash holiday allowance. Vakantiedagen or verlofuren are paid leave. Keeping these separate helps you understand both a job offer and the reservations shown on an agency payslip.

The general minimum holiday allowance is 8% of the relevant gross wage. It is also calculated on the full value of overtime, including an applicable overtime premium. There are specific exceptions, including some CAO arrangements and written agreements for pay above three times the minimum. The calculator is a transparent gross estimate using your chosen percentage.

Maintain two separate balances

Holiday allowance is money accrued for later payment; annual leave is time away from work with pay. A reservation line can therefore refer to different things. Ask payroll which balance is shown, when money is paid and how time off is requested. Do not assume a higher weekly transfer means all leave has been correctly dealt with.

Plan leave before contract end

Request a breakdown of leave by accrual year and statutory or extra category. Keep leave requests and responses, particularly if workload or illness prevented time off. At the end of employment, compare the final statement with unused leave, accrued allowance and wages still due.

What to do next

  1. Check the accrual period, percentage and whether the advertised wage already includes the allowance.
  2. Check when it is paid; payment is at least yearly, commonly in May or June, but the contract or CAO sets the arrangement.
  3. Read your paid-leave balance separately and check the settlement when employment ends.
A practical example

€2,800 gross per month × 6 months × 8% gives €1,344 gross holiday allowance in this simplified example. It is not the net amount that will arrive in your account.

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Questions people ask

Do on-call workers also build up holiday rights?

Yes. A zero-hours contract does not remove paid-leave or holiday-allowance rights. The accrual depends on the hours worked and applicable arrangements. Ask payroll to explain the reservations on your payslip.

Are holiday allowance and holiday days the same?

No. Holiday allowance is money; paid annual leave is time away from work with pay. Track the two balances separately.

Does the employer need to dismiss me at the agreed end date?

A fixed-term contract can end automatically on its agreed date. Notification requirements and payment consequences are separate checks.

Does all leave expire after six months?

No. That is the ordinary rule for statutory leave, with exceptions. Additional leave follows different rules.

Can I leave before the end date?

Check for a valid interim termination clause or another lawful route. Do not assume the ordinary one-month notice rule always lets you leave early.

Sources

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