Dutch Parliament Approves Landmark Ban on Zero-Hour Contracts to Protect Flexible Workers
The Hague, Tuesday 12 May 2026
The Dutch Lower House has passed sweeping legislation to ban zero-hour contracts. Impacting 2.7 million people—the EU’s highest flexible workforce—these 2028 reforms mandate strict minimum-hour guarantees.
The Shift to Bandwidth Models
Spearheaded by Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Hans Vijlbrief, the “Wet meer zekerheid flexwerkers” (Law on More Security for Flexible Workers) was formally approved by the Tweede Kamer on 12 May 2026 [1][2][4]. The legislation systematically dismantles the traditional zero-hour contract framework, replacing these arrangements with ‘bandbreedtecontracten’ (bandwidth contracts) [1][2][3][5]. Under this new regime, employers are mandated to schedule and pay for a guaranteed minimum number of hours, with maximum scheduling strictly capped at 130 per cent of that baseline [1][2][3]. For instance, an employee guaranteed 10 hours cannot be compelled to work more than 13 hours [1]. Furthermore, if an employee is consistently called upon for hours exceeding the agreed maximum, employers are legally obligated to increase the baseline contracted hours [5].
Implications for the Digital Economy and Software Scalability
The Netherlands currently hosts approximately 2.7 million flexible workers, representing nearly 30 per cent of its total workforce [1][5]. This extensive flexible layer has been fundamental to the operational scalability of the digital economy [GPT]. High-growth sectors such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Fintech heavily rely on flexible contracts to dynamically adjust their workforce in response to venture funding cycles and rapid software deployment demands [GPT]. By eliminating frictionless scalability, the legislation forces digital platforms and venture-backed scale-ups to fundamentally restructure their human resources strategies, shifting from on-demand labour to long-term talent retention [GPT]. Indefinite bandwidth contracts will, however, fall under the low unemployment insurance premium, providing a minor financial offset to employers [3].
Equalising the Playing Field for Agency Workers
The legislation also targets the temporary employment sector, mandating that agency workers (uitzendkrachten) receive at least equivalent working conditions to permanent employees [1][2][3][5]. This extends beyond basic remuneration to include sick pay and other essential benefits, preventing unfair competition on employment conditions [3][6]. To enforce this, Minister Vijlbrief has been granted a legislative ‘stop button’ [2]. This mechanism allows the Minister to use an ‘algemene maatregel van bestuur’ (order in council) to designate specific employment conditions—such as bonuses, leave, and training—from which collective labour agreements cannot deviate [2]. Furthermore, the initial ‘Phase A’ for temporary workers will be reduced from 78 weeks to 52 weeks, while ‘Phase B’ will be compressed from allowing six contracts over four years to six contracts within just two years [2][3].
A Structural Overhaul Ahead of 2028
If approved by the Upper House (Eerste Kamer), the core components of the new law will come into force on 1 January 2028 [1][2][3][4][5]. The legislative package is the culmination of years of debate, originating from a 2020 report by a commission led by Hans Borstlap, which warned of an unsustainable imbalance between permanent and flexible work [1][4][5]. The reforms were later initiated in 2023 by former CDA Minister Karien van Gennip and are also driven by a European Court of Justice ruling regarding remuneration [1][4]. As the 2028 deadline approaches, the Dutch innovation ecosystem must pivot from a model of hyper-flexibility to one that balances entrepreneurial agility with fundamental worker security [GPT].