The Wet meer zekerheid flexwerkers (More Security for Flexible Workers Act) has been adopted by the Tweede Kamer on 12 May 2026 and the Eerste Kamer on 7 July 2026, but it is not yet in force. Until a royal decree sets the commencement date, the current rules on fixed-term contracts, on-call work and agency work apply in full.
The government is aiming for 1 January 2028 for most of the Act, and the dates may differ per provision. Below we explain what the Act changes, what it leaves alone, and what employers and flexible workers can check now.
Table of contents
What does the Act change, and what not?
The Act (bill 36 746) covers three forms of flexible work: successive fixed-term contracts, on-call work and temporary agency work. It does not deal with the self-employed or with platform work, which follow separate legislative tracks.
A lot of what is presented as new is already law. Under Article 7:668a of the Dutch Civil Code (BW), three successive fixed-term contracts within 36 months already lead to a contract for an indefinite period; the Act does not change that count. Under Article 7:628a BW, on-call workers must already be called up at least four days in advance and must receive an offer of fixed hours after twelve months. Our guides to employment contracts in the Netherlands and not renewing a fixed-term contract describe the current position.
What changes in the chain rule for fixed-term contracts?
The interruption period goes from six months to three years. Today, a break of more than six months between contracts restarts the chain; once the Act applies, a new chain of fixed-term contracts can only start after a break of three years.
The original bill proposed five years; the Tweede Kamer reduced this to three years by amendment. Shorter interruption periods remain for schoolchildren and students working limited hours, and the existing exception for seasonal work that cannot be done for more than nine months a year stays. The room for collective labour agreements (CAOs) to deviate from the statutory scheme is narrowed.
What replaces the zero-hours contract?
Zero-hours and min-max contracts are replaced by a contract with a guaranteed minimum number of hours and a band above it. The maximum may be no more than 130% of the agreed minimum, and the worker may refuse calls above it without consequences.
If the hours actually worked structurally exceed the agreed band, the employer must offer a contract that reflects the real pattern. Exceptions remain for schoolchildren and students with side jobs. For employers this mainly means planning rosters further ahead; our article on the reform of zero-hours contracts looks at that shift.
What changes for temporary agency workers?
The period in which agency workers can be dismissed when an assignment ends, or do not know their hours, is shortened from one and a half years to one year. Agency workers also become entitled to at least equivalent terms of employment to comparable employees of the hirer, not just equal pay.
Equivalent terms are first an administrative task: the agency must know what the hirer’s own package contains. The ABU and NBBU collective agreements for agency work already apply equivalent terms from 1 January 2026. Our guide to the Dutch agency work phase system explains how the phases work now.
How does the admission scheme for labour suppliers fit in?
This is a separate act: the Wet toelating terbeschikkingstelling van arbeidskrachten (WTTA). It introduces an admission requirement for anyone who supplies workers, which is planned to apply from 1 January 2027, with enforcement from 1 January 2028.
Under the WTTA, a hirer that uses a supplier without admission also risks a fine. Checking the public register of admitted suppliers therefore becomes part of every procurement process for agency staff.
Does the Act affect the self-employed or platform workers?
No. False self-employment is dealt with in separate legislation, and the Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) has been enforcing against false self-employment since the moratorium ended on 1 January 2025.
Platform work is governed by the EU Platform Work Directive (2024/2831), which member states must transpose by 2 December 2026. Nothing in the Wet meer zekerheid flexwerkers classifies platform workers. Where the line between contractor and employee runs is explained in our article on when a contractor becomes an employee.
What should you check as an employer?
Prepare now, but do not rewrite contracts for rules that are not yet in force. A contract drafted against a regime that has not commenced can create obligations you did not intend.
- Map where your organisation uses the six-month interruption to restart fixed-term chains.
- Calculate what a guaranteed minimum with a 130% band would cost for your on-call workers.
- Check which agencies you use and whether they will be admitted under the WTTA from 2027.
- List the terms of your own employees that an agency needs to provide equivalent terms.
- Check what your CAO allows, since its room to deviate is narrowed.
What should you check as a flexible worker?
Until the Act commences, your rights are the current ones. They are often stronger than people realise, so check them against your payslips and rosters now.
- If you are on call: were you called up at least four days in advance (Article 7:628a BW)?
- Were you paid when a shift was cancelled within those four days?
- After twelve months on call: did your employer offer you a fixed number of hours?
- Have you had more than three fixed-term contracts, or more than 36 months of contracts? Then you may already have a permanent contract by law.
- Is a break of just over six months being proposed to restart your contract chain? Ask on what basis.
What can we do for you with the Wet meer zekerheid flexwerkers?
Our employment lawyers advise employers and employees on fixed-term, on-call and agency work, under both the current and the new rules.
- We review your fixed-term, on-call and agency contracts against the current law and the Act.
- We map the chain rule position of your workforce and identify where permanent contracts have already arisen.
- We review agency and supply agreements, including WTTA admission and equivalent terms.
- We advise on CAO clauses that rely on deviations from the statutory scheme.
- We assess a flexible worker’s claims for hours, wages or a permanent contract.
See also our guide to Dutch employment law for the wider framework.
Summary
- The Act was adopted on 7 July 2026 but is not yet in force; commencement follows by royal decree, with 1 January 2028 as the government’s target for most provisions.
- The interruption period in the chain rule goes from six months to three years; the 3-contracts-in-36-months rule stays.
- Zero-hours contracts are replaced by a guaranteed minimum with a band of up to 130%.
- Agency workers get equivalent terms and a shorter period with limited protection; admission of suppliers follows from the separate WTTA.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Wet meer zekerheid flexwerkers already in force?
No. The Tweede Kamer adopted it on 12 May 2026 and the Eerste Kamer on 7 July 2026, but commencement is set by royal decree and may differ per provision. The government is aiming for 1 January 2028 for most of the Act.
Does the limit of three fixed-term contracts in 36 months change?
No. That rule in Article 7:668a BW stays. What changes is the interruption period: a new chain can only start after a break of three years instead of six months.
Are zero-hours contracts banned?
Once the Act applies, zero-hours and min-max contracts are replaced by a contract with a guaranteed minimum number of hours and a maximum of 130% of that minimum. Exceptions remain for schoolchildren and students with side jobs.
Does the Act affect platform work or the self-employed?
No. Platform work falls under the EU Platform Work Directive, which must be transposed by 2 December 2026. False self-employment is dealt with in separate legislation and enforcement by the Tax Administration.
