Holiday leave
As a postdoc in the Netherlands, you are entitled to a minimal amount of holiday leave. Under the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO) for Dutch Universities, a full-time position typically comes with at least 29 vacation days per year, excluding Dutch public holidays. Your university will also have procedures for requesting and scheduling these days.
Sick leave
Both Dutch law and the CAO have strict regulations that protect you in the event that you become ill. In general, you have the right to receive at least 70% of your pay while you are ill, and universities frequently increase this to about 100% during the first year of illness. When necessary, your employer will also help you gradually return to work by, for instance, reducing your hours or assigning you modified tasks.
Parental leave
There is also strong support for taking care of family members or becoming a parent. While partners can take paid birth leave, new mothers are entitled to maternity leave both before and after giving birth. In addition, the CAO provides partially paid parental leave, which enables you to spend more time with your young child. Additionally, there are provisions for emergency leave in case of unanticipated circumstances and short-term care leave in case you need to care for a parent, child, or partner who is ill.
Taking care of others
You can apply for extended unpaid leave with job protection if you must care for a loved one who is very ill for an extended period of time. These rights make it possible for you to support your family without jeopardizing your academic standing or future. The HR staff at your university can walk you through the procedures and assist you in coming up with the best plan of action, if you would like to talk about your circumstances or explore your options.
