Dutch uitzendwerk is more than the casual idea of a “temp job”. In the standard structure, you have an employment contract with the uitzendbureau (employment agency), but you perform the work under an assignment at another company, the inlener.
The three-party relationship
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| You | The uitzendkracht: the worker. |
| Uitzendbureau | Your legal employer in the standard agency-work relationship; pays you and administers the employment contract. |
| Inlener | The client company where you actually perform the assignment. |
Conditions and equal treatment
Agency workers have statutory protections. Current government guidance requires equal treatment with comparable employees of the hirer for specified conditions such as pay and allowances, working/rest time, breaks, overtime, holidays and night work. Agency CAOs can also matter.
Important change at the end of 2026
The Netherlands adopted legislation in 2026 to strengthen flex-worker security. The government states that the requirement for agency workers to receive at least equivalent employment conditions across all conditions takes effect on 31 December 2026, alongside reforms to insecure phases of agency work. Because this guide sits close to a legal transition, re-check the rules when your contract starts.
Questions to ask the agency
- Who is my legal employer?
- Which agency cao and phase/system applies?
- What happens if the client ends my assignment?
- How are salary, allowances, holiday pay and pension calculated?
- What happens if I become sick?
- Which conditions of comparable employees at the hirer apply to me?
Agency versus recruitment agency
Do not assume every recruiter is your employer. A recruitment agency may simply introduce you to a company that then hires you directly. Ask explicitly who signs your employment contract and pays your salary.