New rules for child employment

What changes?

Do you employ staff aged 13 to 15 years old? The rules on child employment will change. The following rules will apply to side jobs and holiday work for children between 13 and 15 years old:

• 13- and 14-year-olds will be allowed to work on Sundays, under strict conditions
• 13- and 14-year-olds will be allowed to work until 20:00 hours on non-school days, such as weekends, and during the school holidays. Currently this is 19:00 hours.
• 15-year-olds will be allowed to work until 20:00 hours on non-schooldays. During school holidays they can work until 21:00 hours.

Exception for internships

14- and 15-year-olds doing an official VMBO traineeship are subject to different rules than when they do real work (in Dutch).

For whom?

• entrepreneurs who employ 13-, 14-, or 15-year-olds

When?

It is not yet known when the change in the Further regulations on child employment will take effect.

Please note: The effective date of this measure is not yet final. Entry into force is subject to its passing through the Lower and Upper Houses (Tweede en Eerste Kamer) of parliament. After publication in the Staatsblad or Staatscourant (Government Gazette, in Dutch) the law can take effect.

Do you think government rules are unclear?

Do the rules create unnecessary administrative burdens? Or do you know how the rules could make doing business easier? You can report this (anonymously) to the Regulatory Reporting Centre (Meldpunt regelgeving).