The short answer
Check the agreed payday, payroll period and submitted hours before treating every difference as the same problem. Record the expected gross wage, paid hours, allowances and deductions.
Identify exactly what is missing
Compare the payslip with your bank statement: a correct-looking payslip is not proof that payment arrived. Keep copies outside an employer-controlled app.
Raise a specific written request
Write to the legal employer named in your contract. State the period, hours, agreed rate, amount received and the explanation or correction you want. If an agency employs you, contact its payroll team even when the customer approves your timesheet. For unresolved underpayment, use a Work in NL information point, union or legal adviser. The Labour Inspectorate handles reports within its enforcement remit; it does not replace every individual wage claim.
What to do next
- Save the contract, rosters, time approvals, payslips and bank records.
- Send a dated request to the employer with the disputed period and calculation.
- Seek advice if the response is missing or the discrepancy remains.
You recorded 38 hours but payroll paid 30. Send the dated roster and approved timesheet and ask which eight hours were excluded. This is clearer than comparing only the final bank amount.
Questions people ask
Is the agency or the customer my first contact?
Start with the legal employer in your contract. Include the customer’s approved time records where they support your claim.
Can I complain without speaking Dutch?
Work in NL information points can help explain routes and documents. Ask about available language support.
What if the employer controls the timekeeping app?
Save your own dated records, schedules and messages. Request a copy of submitted and approved hours before access ends.
Does a payslip prove I was paid?
No. Compare the payslip with the bank transfer and agreed payday. Keep both records.
Will reporting to the inspector automatically recover every euro?
No. Inspection and individual wage recovery are different routes. Ask which authority or legal procedure fits your particular claim.
Sources
Last verified: 4 October 2026. Sources are in Dutch or English.