Wet flexibel werken (Flexible work law, WFW)
This new law will replace the Wet aanpassing arbeidsduur (Working Hours Amendment Act, WAA). The law should give employees more flexible working opportunities for teleworking and to work at more favourable times. Employees can submit a request to adjust their working hours to suit their work, such as working at home. In addition, employees can request to modify their contractual working hours.
Wet aanpak schijnconstructies (Law on approaching pretense, WAS)
One part of the WAS has already entered into force in July 2015, but by January 1, 2016 the law will come into full effect. Namely:
mandatory cashless payment of at least the minimum wage, and
the specification of the expenses on the payslip.
The prohibition on deductions and settlements with the minimum wage would originally come into force on January 1, but the ban has been postponed until July 1, 2016.
Statutory minimum wage
Naturally, the minimum wage has also been adjusted. As of January 1, 2016 the minimum wage for employees aged 23 and older will be:
€ 1,524.60 per month
€ 351.85 per week
€ 70.37 per day
Raising pension age
The state pension age will be increased, but also have higher acceleration from 2016 onwards. In increments of three months, the retirement age will be increased to 66 in 2018. Thereafter the age increases by increments of four months to 67 years by 2021. From 2022, the state pension age will be linked to life expectancy.
Continuing to work after retirement age
If an employer wishes to terminate the employment of a pensionable employee, from January 1st, 2016 they will need to comply with a notice period of one month.
When a pensionable employee has illness, they will be entitled to continued payment of up to thirteen weeks instead of two years. There are other deadlines in the chain provision for pensionable employees. Employees who have reached the retirement age can receive a maximum of six temporary contracts within a maximum period of four years.
Law on pension communication
The Law on pension communication aims to improve information about pensions. The Uniform Pension Statement will be made clearer. The Law on pension communications will be implemented in different phases. From January 1, 2016, the Uniform Pension Overview will no longer indicate his they have 'reached retirement'. By January 1, 2016, it will be required that the introductory letter is replaced by Retirement 1-2-3.
Changes to WW
The last point of the Wet werk en zekerheid ( Law on work and security, WW) creates a change in the structure and duration of unemployment benefits. The public unemployment benefits will be reduced by one month per quarter to change up to two years in 2019.
For the first ten years that an employee works, they build the right to unemployment benefits. The rate at which this grows is one year in employment being equal to one month of unemployment benefits. After ten years, this will change to one year equaling to a half month of benefits.
As of January 1, 2016 trade unions and employers' organisations in the collective bargaining agreement will work on a privately funded addition to the unemployment benefit, which connects to the unemployment benefit.