Obtain employee severance pay

In the Netherlands, many people are unaware that they are entitled to severance pay after their employment ends, even if the contract simply expired or was terminated by mutual agreement. Meanwhile, severance pay, also known as transitievergoeding, is real money that is often overlooked or not paid simply because no one applied for it.

What is Severance Pay

Severance pay in the Netherlands is a benefit designed to assist an employee in transitioning to a new job or during a period of unemployment. It is due in many situations where an employment relationship ends, not only in the case of a classic dismissal.

Importantly, severance pay is not dependent on the employee’s fault and in many cases is due even if the contract simply expired.

When is Severance Pay Due

The right to severance pay may arise, among other situations, when:

• the contract was terminated by the employer
• a fixed-term contract was not extended
• the contract was terminated by mutual agreement
• there was a reorganization or staff reduction

Many people are surprised that severance pay can be due even after a short period of employment.

How Much is Severance Pay

The amount of severance pay is calculated according to a simple statutory formula. As a rule, it amounts to one-third of a monthly salary for each year worked.

If you worked for less than a year, severance pay is calculated proportionally to the number of months worked. Not only the basic salary is taken into account, but also fixed allowances, such as bonuses or shift allowances.

In practice, even a few months of work can mean several hundred or several thousand euros in severance pay.

Why Severance Pay is Often Not Paid

Employers very often do not inform employees about their right to severance pay, hoping that the matter will be overlooked. It also happens that severance pay is not paid because no one calculated it or no official application was submitted.

A lack of reaction from the employee usually means that the money is simply lost.

What We Can Do for You

We can check if you are entitled to severance pay and calculate it precisely based on your contract and employment history. If the right to severance pay exists, we prepare an official letter to the employer demanding payment of the severance pay in the due amount.

If necessary, we conduct further correspondence and help bring the matter to a conclusion, without you needing to contact the employer directly.

Why It’s Worth Checking

Severance pay is not a bonus or an employer’s goodwill. It is your statutory right. Many people lose this money simply because they did not know they could claim it.

Checking this costs nothing but a moment of your time, and it can genuinely improve your financial situation after your employment ends.