Dutch Civil Code (Fixed-term employment contract)

Dutch Civil Code (Article 7:668a)

Pursuant to Article 7:668a of the Dutch Civil Code, a fixed-term employment contract will automatically convert into an open-ended employment contract if:

• a chain of temporary employment contracts covers 36 months or more
• a chain of three fixed-term employment contracts is continued.

A chain is a series of fixed-term employment contracts that succeed each other with no more than six months in between. This rule is also applicable to employment contracts between an employee and various employers that must reasonably be deemed to be each other’s successors with regard to the work performed. Since 1 January 2020, it is possible to shorten the interval period of six months to three months in a Collective Labour Agreement, if the nature of the activity so requires. This applies, for example, to seasonal labour.