On 7 July 2026, the Dutch Senate adopted the Greater Security for Flexible Workers Act (Wet meer zekerheid flexwerkers), one of the key legislative reforms stemming from the Dutch labour market reform agenda. The legislation aims to reduce job insecurity for workers on flexible contracts and encourage more stable employment relationships.

Key reforms

The most notable change concerns the interruption period of successive fixed term contracts. Currently, employers may enter into a maximum of 3 successive fixed-term contracts over a period of up to 3 years before an indefinite-term employment contract arises automatically. To start a new chain of fixed-term contracts, a waiting period of 6 months applies.

The Act extends this interruption period from 6 months to 3 years. As a result, employers will no longer be able to re-engage former employees through a new fixed-term contract cycle within a relatively short period of time.

Additionally, the legislation largely abolishes zero-hours contracts and introduces so-called bandwidth contracts. Under these contracts, a minimum and maximum number of working hours must be agreed in advance. The bandwidth contract distinguishes between guaranteed hours (minimum) and available hours (maximum). The guaranteed hours must always be paid, regardless of whether the employee is actually called in to work. The available hours are the hours during which the employee can be scheduled and must be available. The maximum number of hours may generally not exceed the minimum number of hours by more than 30%. For example, if the parties agree on a minimum of 20 working hours per week, the maximum may generally not exceed 26 hours per week. At the start of the employment contract, the employer and employee must agree on specific reference hours, i.e. the days and times during which the employee may be called in. Outside those reference hours, the employee has a firm right to refuse work.

Finally, the Act introduces certain changes to the phase system that governs the employment status of temporary agency workers and their employment conditions. However, the applicable collective labour agreements already anticipated these changes to a large extent.

What should employers do now?

The reforms will enter into force in stages.

  • The rules requiring equivalent employment conditions for agency workers are expected to apply from 31 December 2026.
  • Most other reforms, including the amended fixed-term contract rules, the introduction of bandwidth contracts and the changes to the agency phase system, are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2028.

Employers therefore still have time to prepare, but workforce planning models and contract templates should be reviewed well in advance.