{"id":9005,"date":"2026-03-11T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.ijc.es\/?p=9005"},"modified":"2026-09-15T08:47:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T08:47:43","slug":"baja-medica-holanda-guia-enfermedad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/baja-medica-holanda-guia-enfermedad\/","title":{"rendered":"Sick Leave in the Netherlands: Complete Guide to the Ziektewet and Your Rights (Updated)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ijcart\">\n<style>.ijcart{font-family:Poppins,sans-serif;color:#4a5b6c;}.ijcart h2{color:#002f58;font-size:25px;font-weight:800;margin:34px 0 12px;line-height:1.3;}.ijcart h3{color:#002f58;font-size:19px;font-weight:700;margin:26px 0 10px;}.ijcart p{font-size:16px;line-height:1.85;margin:0 0 16px;}.ijcart li{font-size:16px;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:6px;}.ijcart ul{margin:0 0 18px 22px;}.ijcart .meta{color:#fd841d;font-weight:700;font-size:13px;letter-spacing:.5px;text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:14px;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"meta\">General &middot; Andreu Jimenez<\/div>\n<p>Ponerse enfermo nunca es plato de buen gusto, pero hacerlo en un pa\u00eds extranjero y con un sistema laboral distinto puede generar un estr\u00e9s innecesario. En Espa\u00f1a estamos acostumbrados a ir al centro de salud, esperar al m\u00e9dico de cabecera y salir con un \u00abpapel de la baja\u00bb.<\/p>\n<p>In the Netherlands it doesn't work like that. If you ask your Dutch doctor ( Huisarts ) for a note for your boss, they will (kindly) laugh and tell you they have no authority to issue one. So you don't make mistakes that put your salary or your job at risk, here is the definitive guide to being ill in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n<h2>\u00bfQu\u00e9 hacer si te levantas enfermo? El protocolo \u00abZiekmelden\u00bb<\/h2>\n<p>The first step is communication. In the Netherlands, sick leave starts with your word, but there is a strict protocol you must follow to the letter.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Inform your employer immediately<\/h3>\n<p>You must inform your manager or the HR department (or your temporary employment agency if you work through one) as soon as possible. Most companies require you to report sick before 9:00 AM on the first day of illness.<\/p>\n<p>What do you have to say? Only that you are ill and cannot come to work.<\/p>\n<p>What do you NOT have to say? Legally, you are not obliged to disclose your diagnosis . You don't have to say whether you have flu, a broken leg or stress. Your medical privacy is protected by law.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Be reachable<\/h3>\n<p>From the moment you report sick ( ziekmelden ), you must be available at home or wherever you are recovering. The company or the occupational health service may call you to check on your condition or arrange the next steps.<\/p>\n<h2>How much do you get paid on sick leave? The Ziektewet system<\/h2>\n<p>Aqu\u00ed viene la pregunta del mill\u00f3n: \u00ab\u00bfVoy a cobrar mi sueldo?\u00bb . La respuesta corta es s\u00ed, pero con matices.<\/p>\n<h2>The 70% rule<\/h2>\n<p>By law, your employer must pay you at least 70% of your last salary during the first two years of illness. However, most collective labour agreements ( CAO ) improve on this, going up to 90% or even 100% during the first year .<\/p>\n<h2>Los \u00abWachtdagen\u00bb (D\u00edas de espera)<\/h2>\n<p>Mucho cuidado con esto. En muchos contratos existen los llamados wachtdagen . Son 1 o 2 d\u00edas iniciales de la baja que no se pagan . Es decir, si te pones enfermo un lunes y vuelves el mi\u00e9rcoles, es posible que no cobres nada por esos d\u00edas. Revisa tu contrato para ver si tienes estos \u00abd\u00edas de carencia\u00bb.<\/p>\n<h2>La figura del Arbo-arts: El \u00abjuez\u00bb de tu salud laboral<\/h2>\n<p>Since your GP cannot sign you off sick, who decides whether you are really fit to work? This is where the Arbo-arts (company doctor) comes in.<\/p>\n<p>Who are they? An independent doctor hired by the company (or the occupational health service) to assess your ability to work.<\/p>\n<p>Is it mandatory to attend? YES. If the Arbo-arts invites you to a check-up, you are legally obliged to attend. If you don't go without a serious justified reason, the company has the right to stop paying your salary immediately.<\/p>\n<p>What do they decide? They assess whether you can do light duties, work from home or really need complete rest. Their assessment is what counts for the payment of your benefit.<\/p>\n<h2>Can I be dismissed for being ill?<\/h2>\n<p>This is the biggest concern of Spanish workers in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n<h2>Two years of protection<\/h2>\n<p>With a permanent contract ( vast contract ), dismissal due to illness is prohibited during the first two years of sick leave. The company must make an effort to help you return to work.<\/p>\n<h2>Temporary employment agencies (Phase A or Phase 1-2)<\/h2>\n<p>If you work through an employment agency and your contract contains the so-called agency clause ( uitzendbeding ), the situation changes. In many cases, when you fall ill, your employment contract with the agency ends automatically and you receive sickness benefit directly from the UWV (the government agency). You are not left unprotected, but you no longer have a connection with the company where you worked.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions about illness in the Netherlands (FAQ)<\/h2>\n<h2>Can my GP (Huisarts) give me a sick note?<\/h2>\n<p>No. Doctors in the Netherlands have a code of conduct that prohibits them from issuing medical certificates for work. Their job is to treat you, not to manage your employment relationship. That is what the Arbo-arts is for.<\/p>\n<h2>Can I travel to Spain while on sick leave?<\/h2>\n<p>Don't do it without permission. If you are on sick leave and want to travel to your home country to recover with your family, you must ask the Arbo-arts or the UWV for explicit authorisation. If you leave on your own and miss a check-up you are invited to, you will lose your benefit and could be dismissed.<\/p>\n<h2>What happens if I fall ill during my holidays?<\/h2>\n<p>If you are on holiday and fall ill, call your company immediately. If you follow the reporting protocol, those days will no longer count as holiday and will become sick days instead. That way you can get your holiday days back to enjoy when you are healthy.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>The Dutch system is based on responsibility and on the role of the company doctor. If you are honest, follow the reporting protocols and attend your appointments with the Arbo-arts, you have nothing to fear. Your health and your salary are protected. This applies whether you want to work in the Netherlands or to any other aspect of life there.<\/p>\n<p>Looking for an agency that is transparent, speaks plainly and supports you at every step of your adventure in the Netherlands? At International Job Challenge we make sure all our workers know their rights from minute one.<\/p>\n<p>Take a look at our Job Offers in the Netherlands and apply today.<\/p>\n<h2>\u00daltimas noticias<\/h2>\n<h2>Conoce las novedades<\/h2>\n<p>Transitievergoeding in the Netherlands: the definitive guide to your severance pay on dismissal and end of contract<\/p>\n<h2>General<\/h2>\n<h2>21 Jul 2026<\/h2>\n<h2>por<\/h2>\n<h2>Andreu Jimenez<\/h2>\n<h2>Phase B contract in the Netherlands: your shield of stability<\/h2>\n<h2>General<\/h2>\n<h2>17 Jul 2026<\/h2>\n<h2>por<\/h2>\n<h2>Andreu Jimenez<\/h2>\n<p>Child benefit in the Netherlands: complete guide to claiming Kinderbijslag (even with your children in Spain)<\/p>\n<h2>General<\/h2>\n<h2>10 Jul 2026<\/h2>\n<h2>por<\/h2>\n<h2>Andreu Jimenez<\/h2>\n<p>Zero-hours contract in the Netherlands: the no-nonsense guide to your rights and how to avoid the agency trap<\/p>\n<h2>General<\/h2>\n<h2>02 Jul 2026<\/h2>\n<h2>por<\/h2>\n<h2>Andreu Jimenez<\/h2>\n<h2>Homologar t\u00edtulo en Holanda: Gu\u00eda real para convalidar FP, carreras y profesiones reguladas<\/h2>\n<h2>25 Jun 2026<\/h2>\n<h2>por<\/h2>\n<h2>Andreu Jimenez<\/h2>\n<h2>Operario\/a Lavander\u00eda industrial &#8211; Holanda<\/h2>\n<p>\u00bfTe gusta trabajar con tus manos y ser parte de un equipo? Como trabajador\/a de producci\u00f3n de lavander\u00eda, ayudas a convertir la ropa usada en textiles limpios y cuidadosamente empaquetados. Las m&amp;aac&#8230; Leer m\u00e1s<\/p>\n<h2>Operario\/a de producci\u00f3n (sector pl\u00e1stico) &#8211; Holanda<\/h2>\n<p>\u00bfTe gustar\u00eda trabajar en producci\u00f3n y tienes buen ojo para los detalles? Entonces esta oferta es para ti aunque no tengas experiencia. Leer m\u00e1s<\/p>\n<h2>Operario\/a de log\u00edstica en sector moda &#8211; Holanda<\/h2>\n<p>\u00bfEres una persona a la que le gusta mantener las cosas organizadas en un almac\u00e9n y se siente c\u00f3modo\/a con un rol variado? Estamos buscando un Empleado\/a de Log\u00edstica que trabaje con precisi&amp;oa&#8230; Leer m\u00e1s<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ponerse enfermo nunca es plato de buen gusto, pero hacerlo en un pa\u00eds extranjero y con un sistema laboral distinto puede generar un estr\u00e9s innecesario. En Espa\u00f1a estamos\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[112],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog-ijc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9005"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9005\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9119,"href":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9005\/revisions\/9119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ijc.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}