Chain clause

The chain clause is a rule regarding temporary contracts. In the Netherlands, you are allowed to have several temporary contracts in a row with the same employer, but not too many and not for too long. What is the chain clause? - You can be given no more than three temporary contracts. - The total period covered by these contracts must not be more than three years. If your fourth contract is about to start or if you have worked for more than three years, you must be given a permanent contract . If you are not sure whether this applies to you, you can get help for free from Het Juridisch Loket . Successive term of employment Sometimes you first work for a company through an employment agency and afterwards you work directly for the same company. You then do the same work, but have a different employer. This is called a successive term of employment. In this case, all your temporary contracts count for the chain clause. Some CAOs might contain other arrangements.

A temporary contract in the Netherlands has a start date and end date. You therefore know how long you will have work. What is a temporary contract? A temporary contract in the Netherlands has a start date and end date. You therefore know exactly how long you will have work. You are often given a temporary contract when you start work. If you have already worked for your employer for three years or had three temporary contracts with your employer, your next contract must be a permanent contract. Your CAO may contain other arrangements. From temporary to permanent After three years or three temporary contracts, you are usually given a permanent contract. This rule is known as the chain clause . You will get a permanent contract if you: - have had at least three temporary contracts with the same employer, or - have worked under temporary contracts with the same employer for at least three years. In that case, your temporary contract will turn into a permanent contract automatically if you continue to work for your employer. Your CAO may contain other arrangements. Important! The period between the end of one contract and the start of the next contract must not be more than six months. In some cases, such as seasonal work, the maximum period between contracts is three months. This must be specified in the CAO . Some CAOs have different rules. If your CAO has different rules, those rules apply. If you are not sure, you can ask Het Juridisch Loket for help. What is a temporary contract? A temporary contract is a fixed-term contract, for example for six months or one year. The …

1. Vanaf de dag dat tussen dezelfde partijen: a. arbeidsovereenkomsten voor bepaalde tijd elkaar met tussenpozen van ten hoogste zes maanden hebben opgevolgd en een periode van 36 maanden, deze tussenpozen inbegrepen, hebben overschreden, geldt met ingang van die dag de laatste arbeidsovereenkomst als aangegaan voor onbepaalde tijd; b. meer dan drie voor bepaalde tijd aangegane arbeidsovereenkomsten elkaar hebben opgevolgd met tussenpozen van ten hoogste zes maanden, geldt de laatste arbeidsovereenkomst als aangegaan voor onbepaalde tijd.