Decline in freelancers in the Netherlands signals trend break
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Decline in freelancers in the Netherlands signals trend break

NL Times  

The number of self-employed workers in the Netherlands continues to decline, with over 4,000 fewer freelancers registered in January 2025 compared to the previous month, according to the Kamer van Koophandel. "The flexibility of having varying hours each week, such as 30 hours one week and fewer the next, allows workers to better align their schedules with those of their partners," said Heleen Poortvliet, Careyn's manager. If the decline were faster, it could cause significant disruptions, particularly if tens of thousands of freelancers left sectors like healthcare in a short period." The healthcare sector, which relies heavily on freelancers, experienced the most significant decline, losing nearly 2,000 self-employed workers in a single month.

Netherlands Workers Freelancers Careyn  trend  permanent  hours  freelancers  services  signals  selfemployed  number  month  break  netherlands  decline  workers  schanckbreukel

History of this topic

Illegal contract clauses put financial burden on Dutch freelancers
1 week, 2 days ago

Illegal contract clauses put financial burden on Dutch freelancers

NL Times  

Freelancers in the Netherlands are increasingly facing contract clauses that shift financial risks from employers to them, even though many of these provisions are legally invalid. These clauses reportedly attempt to make freelancers responsible for tax reassessments and fines imposed on employers if authorities classify them as misclassified employees, NOS reports. Some freelancers have found contract clauses requiring them to …

Philips cuts more jobs than expected in the Netherlands: FD
2 weeks, 1 day ago

Philips cuts more jobs than expected in the Netherlands: FD

Dutch News  

An ongoing reorganisation at medical technology company Philips has led to the loss of 2,600 jobs in the Netherlands, 700 more than expected, the Financieele Dagblad reported on Tuesday. The jobs have been cut gradually since 2023, when the company had a workforce of 11,000 in the Netherlands, the paper said. “We are concerned.” Philips said in a reaction that …

Over 42% of businesses plan to hire fewer freelancers this year
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Over 42% of businesses plan to hire fewer freelancers this year

NL Times  

Over 42 percent of Dutch businesses that hired freelancers in 2024 expect to do so less this year, mainly due to stricter rules against false self-employment. A shortage of qualified workers is the main reason for Dutch businesses to keep hiring freelancers despite the stricter rules, Statistics Netherlands reported based on a survey conducted with the Chamber of Commerce and …

Decline in freelance workers stabilizes, except in healthcare, construction
3 weeks ago

Decline in freelance workers stabilizes, except in healthcare, construction

NL Times  

The number of freelancers calling it quits remained virtually stable in February. In the healthcare sector, the number of self-employed people decreased by 700 last month. In the business services sector, the largest sector in terms of self-employed people, there was even growth again in February. Self-employed people do not go bankrupt quickly and can therefore easily remain registered for …

Strict self-employment rules hitting tax office in freelancers hired for benefits scandal
1 month ago

Strict self-employment rules hitting tax office in freelancers hired for benefits scandal

NL Times  

The Dutch Tax Authority's benefits division faces a major setback in resolving the childcare benefits scandal. Despite being aware of the issue, the government had previously decided to keep the freelancers on staff, arguing that it was an "exceptional situation" requiring urgent action to compensate victims of the benefits scandal. However, the Dutch Tax Authority has now acknowledged that covering …

Freelancer total drops for second month as tax crackdown starts
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Freelancer total drops for second month as tax crackdown starts

Dutch News  

The number of registered freelancers in the Netherlands fell by 4,000 in January, according to Chamber of Commerce figures. Using freelancers who are effectively ordinary workers – because they do the same job as staffers, don’t get to choose their hours, and are told what to do – has been banned since 2016. The number of people registering as a …

Enforcement of stricter self-employment rules struggling to get off the ground
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Enforcement of stricter self-employment rules struggling to get off the ground

NL Times  

The Dutch government is beginning to enforce rules against "schijnzelfstandigheid," or false self-employment, but faces significant issues addressing the problem within its own ranks. Despite the Belastingdienst starting enforcement measures this month, government ministries are unable to provide clear data on the scope of the issue. “We hope to complete an inventory of the number of misclassified freelancers by the …

Number of sole traders tumbled in December ahead of crackdown
2 months, 1 week ago

Number of sole traders tumbled in December ahead of crackdown

Dutch News  

The number of self-employed workers in the Netherlands took a sharp dive in December as the government pledged to crack down on so-called “phantom freelancers” from January 1. More than 21,000 sole traders deregistered with the Dutch chamber of commerce in the last month of 2024 while 14,500 new businesses signed up, leading to a net fall of 6,776. The …

Many freelancers still not interested in permanent work contracts
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Many freelancers still not interested in permanent work contracts

NL Times  

Many freelancers in the Netherlands do not want a permanent contract, according to a survey by NBBU, the umbrella organization for employment agencies, ahead of the debate on the new self-employed bill. Less than 3 percent don’t have a permanent contract because their former employer forced them to be a freelancer, NBBU director Marco Bastian told the Financieele Dagblad. According …

Number of freelancers in Netherlands increased 85% in ten years
1 year ago

Number of freelancers in Netherlands increased 85% in ten years

NL Times  

The number of self-employed people without employees has increased by 85 percent over the past ten years. “We often think that female self-employed people only work in personal services and the healthcare and welfare sectors, but most still work in business services. The KvK suspects that the increase in the number of young entrepreneurs “is probably related to a lot …

Freelance organisations criticise self-employment law reforms
1 year, 5 months ago

Freelance organisations criticise self-employment law reforms

Dutch News  

Government plans to reform the current definition of self-employment aim to make it clearer who should be considered a freelancer but have already been criticised for being vague and unnecessary. “This is what came out of our discussions with freelancers and freelance organisations.” Freelancer organisations, however, have already criticised the government’s plans. “The law offers no additional upfront clarity and …

Self-employed tax break under fire, concerns rise about freelancer brokers
5 years, 7 months ago

Self-employed tax break under fire, concerns rise about freelancer brokers

Dutch News  

The government is planning to cut the freelancer tax break in order to help pay for tax cuts for the population at large, according to the latest leaks from the ongoing budget negotiations. Sources in The Hague have told Dutch newspapers that the tax break – currently €7,280 – will be reduced to €5,000 over a 10-year period. Opponents of …

Dutch to act on freelancer pay, set minimum rate of €16 per hour: NOS
5 years, 9 months ago

Dutch to act on freelancer pay, set minimum rate of €16 per hour: NOS

Dutch News  

The Dutch government is considering bringing in a minimum freelance rate of €16 a hour to protect people at the bottom of the self-employment pile, broadcaster NOS said on Friday, quoting cabinet sources. Economic research bureau SEO estimates some 85,000 freelancers earn less than €16 per hour, mainly working in farming, the care services and as delivery workers or taxi …

Not one Dutch firm has been fined for employing 'bogus' freelancers
6 years, 9 months ago

Not one Dutch firm has been fined for employing 'bogus' freelancers

Dutch News  

Not one company in the Netherlands has been fined in the past two years for employing bogus freelancers – people who are treated as self-employed but in reality work for one company – according to research by the NRC. The tax office has started 49 investigations into possible abuse of the rules governing self-employment but 38 failed to produce enough …

Not one Dutch firm has been fined for employing 'bogus' freelancers
6 years, 9 months ago

Not one Dutch firm has been fined for employing 'bogus' freelancers

Dutch News  

Not one company in the Netherlands has been fined in the past two years for employing bogus freelancers – people who are treated as self-employed but in reality work for one company – according to research by the NRC. The tax office has started 49 investigations into possible abuse of the rules governing self-employment but 38 failed to produce enough …

Brussels warns the Netherlands to act on bogus self-employment
6 years, 10 months ago

Brussels warns the Netherlands to act on bogus self-employment

Dutch News  

The Netherlands needs to reduce the incentives given to both employers and employees to work via temporary and self-employment contracts, the European Commission said on Wednesday. This, the commission said, should go hand in hand with promoting adequate social protection for the self-employed, and tackle bogus self-employment. Social security The commission points out that government measures to tackle bogus self- …

Brussels warns the Netherlands to act on bogus self-employment
6 years, 10 months ago

Brussels warns the Netherlands to act on bogus self-employment

Dutch News  

The Netherlands needs to reduce the incentives given to both employers and employees to work via temporary and self-employment contracts, the European Commission said on Wednesday. This, the commission said, should go hand in hand with promoting adequate social protection for the self-employed, and tackle bogus self-employment. Social security The commission points out that government measures to tackle bogus self- …

Cabinet effectively pulls plug on DBA freelancer legislation
7 years, 1 month ago

Cabinet effectively pulls plug on DBA freelancer legislation

Dutch News  

The cabinet has agreed not to enforce laws introduced by the previous cabinet to ensure freelancers really are self-employed until January 2020 – by which time it hopes to have come up with new legislation of its own. However, from July this year, officials will do more to weed out problems at the lower end of the labour market, to …

Cabinet effectively pulls plug on DBA freelancer legislation
7 years, 1 month ago

Cabinet effectively pulls plug on DBA freelancer legislation

Dutch News  

The cabinet has agreed not to enforce laws introduced by the previous cabinet to ensure freelancers really are self-employed until January 2020 – by which time it hopes to have come up with new legislation of its own. However, from July this year, officials will do more to weed out problems at the lower end of the labour market, to …

Over 80 pct of Dutch freelancers don't have occupational disability insurance
7 years, 8 months ago

Over 80 pct of Dutch freelancers don't have occupational disability insurance

NL Times  

Less than 20 percent of the 873 thousand freelancers and self-employed in the Netherlands have insurance against occupational disability, according to figures by Statistics Netherlands and TNO. Just over a quarter haven't gotten around to starting a pension and 20 percent feel retirement is too far away to worry about yet. Despite the fact that many self-employed still can't afford …

Many freelancers don't pay any income tax at all: Volkskrant
7 years, 9 months ago

Many freelancers don't pay any income tax at all: Volkskrant

Dutch News  

A large proportion of the Netherlands’ growing pool of freelancers and self-employed workers don’t pay any tax on their income, because of tax breaks, the Volkskrant said at the weekend. The paper said that the range of tax breaks open to freelancers means they don’t pay tax on the first €24,000 of their earnings, almost four times as much as …

Many freelancers don't pay any income tax at all: Volkskrant
7 years, 9 months ago

Many freelancers don't pay any income tax at all: Volkskrant

Dutch News  

A large proportion of the Netherlands’ growing pool of freelancers and self-employed workers don’t pay any tax on their income, because of tax breaks, the Volkskrant said at the weekend. The paper said that the range of tax breaks open to freelancers means they don’t pay tax on the first €24,000 of their earnings, almost four times as much as …

Brussels urges the Dutch to tackle rise in self-employed
7 years, 10 months ago

Brussels urges the Dutch to tackle rise in self-employed

Dutch News  

The Dutch government needs to tackle the surge in people working as freelancers, the European Commission said on Monday in its latest recommendations for the Netherlands. This should be done by reducing ‘tax distortions’ favouring self employment, without compromising entrepreneurship, and by promoting access of the self-employed to affordable insurance against unemployment and disability, the Commission said. In total, almost …

Brussels urges the Dutch to tackle rise in self-employed
7 years, 10 months ago

Brussels urges the Dutch to tackle rise in self-employed

Dutch News  

The Dutch government needs to tackle the surge in people working as freelancers, the European Commission said on Monday in its latest recommendations for the Netherlands. This should be done by reducing ‘tax distortions’ favouring self employment, without compromising entrepreneurship, and by promoting access of the self-employed to affordable insurance against unemployment and disability, the Commission said. In total, almost …

Over 122,000 Dutch freelancers lost work due to new law: report
8 years, 1 month ago

Over 122,000 Dutch freelancers lost work due to new law: report

NL Times  

At least 18 percent of the nearly 700 thousand freelancers in the Netherlands lost work over the past year due to a new law against false self-employment, Dutch newspaper Trouw reports based on a study by the Chamber of Commerce which publishes on Monday. The new law is called the Deregulation Review of Labor Relations Act. The new law is …

Employers drop support for new rules on freelancers
8 years, 4 months ago

Employers drop support for new rules on freelancers

Dutch News  

The two big Dutch employers organisations have dropped their support for the new rules on employing freelancers, the Financieele Dagblad said on Friday. In particular, the changes have made companies afraid of bringing in freelancers and have made 500,000 self employed people question their future, the employers say. Almost a quarter of employers questioned for an FD poll said they …

Employers drop support for new rules on freelancers
8 years, 4 months ago

Employers drop support for new rules on freelancers

Dutch News  

The two big Dutch employers organisations have dropped their support for the new rules on employing freelancers, the Financieele Dagblad said on Friday. In particular, the changes have made companies afraid of bringing in freelancers and have made 500,000 self employed people question their future, the employers say. Almost a quarter of employers questioned for an FD poll said they …

Freelancers less likely to suffer from burnout; are happier at work
8 years, 10 months ago

Freelancers less likely to suffer from burnout; are happier at work

Dutch News  

Freelancers are less likely to suffer from burnouts than people who work for a boss, even though they often do physically more difficult work, according to a new report by the national statistics office CBS and TNO research institute. The research, which involved around 1,000 people who are self-employed, found that freelancers feel they have ‘had enough’ seven times a …

Freelancers less likely to suffer from burnout; are happier at work
8 years, 10 months ago

Freelancers less likely to suffer from burnout; are happier at work

Dutch News  

Freelancers are less likely to suffer from burnouts than people who work for a boss, even though they often do physically more difficult work, according to a new report by the national statistics office CBS and TNO research institute. The research, which involved around 1,000 people who are self-employed, found that freelancers feel they have ‘had enough’ seven times a …

Unions, employers work on plan to reform sick pay
9 years, 2 months ago

Unions, employers work on plan to reform sick pay

Dutch News  

Dutch unions, employers’ organisations and independent experts are working on a ‘handful of radical reforms’ to close the gap between freelancers and people on permanent contracts, the Financieele Dagblad said at the weekend. ‘The explosive growth in the number of self-employed’ is having a serious impact on the social security system because fewer employees and employers are paying premiums, the …

Freelancers losing out on full-time work: study
10 years ago

Freelancers losing out on full-time work: study

NL Times  

The number of full time jobs for freelancers decreased in 2014, while the number of freelancers in the Netherlands increased. According to the study, the number of jobs for 36 to 40 hours per weak already showed a decline in 2012 and 2013. The total number of jobs also showed a slight decline in 2014. The duration of the jobs …

Freelancers not saving enough for retirement, study shows
10 years, 1 month ago

Freelancers not saving enough for retirement, study shows

NL Times  

More than half of Dutch freelancers expect that they will have to continue working after retirement. According to the study, 21 percent of freelancers assume that their monthly retirement income will not be enough. Almost half of respondents are unsure whether they will have enough money at their disposal at retirement. Getting your income in order, now and in the …

Many self-employed are poor, but happy
10 years, 4 months ago

Many self-employed are poor, but happy

Dutch News  

One in six freelancers lives below the poverty line compared with just 3% of people in regular employment, according to research by the government’s socio-economic think tank SCP. In addition, four out of 10 self-employed have claimed unemployment or disability benefits at some point, compared with three in 10 people in regular work, the SCP says. New legislation The SCP …

Ministers look at slashing freelancer tax breaks, hitting employers who use self-employed
10 years, 4 months ago

Ministers look at slashing freelancer tax breaks, hitting employers who use self-employed

Dutch News  

Ministers are developing plans to stop the growth in the number of self employed by cutting tax breaks and making it harder for employers to use freelancers, the Financieele Dagblad said on Tuesday. However, research papers leaked to the FD show that the self-employed tax-free allowance of €7,280 is likely to go, and the tax break for start-ups and the …

Ministers look at slashing freelancer tax breaks, hitting employers who use self-employed
10 years, 4 months ago

Ministers look at slashing freelancer tax breaks, hitting employers who use self-employed

Dutch News  

Ministers are developing plans to stop the growth in the number of self employed by cutting tax breaks and making it harder for employers to use freelancers, the Financieele Dagblad said on Tuesday. However, research papers leaked to the FD show that the self-employed tax-free allowance of €7,280 is likely to go, and the tax break for start-ups and the …

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