The Dutch Working Hours Act for hospitality: breaks, rest and maximum hours

Maximum working time

• Per shift: 12 hours.
• Per week: 60 hours.
• Average over 4 weeks: 55 hours per week.
• Average over 16 weeks: 48 hours per week.

Mandatory breaks

• More than 5.5 hours: at least 30 minutes, which may be split into two 15-minute breaks.
• More than 10 hours: at least 45 minutes, in blocks of at least 15 minutes.

Whether breaks are paid is set by the collective agreement or employment contract, not by the law.

Rest between shifts

At least 11 consecutive hours between shifts. Once every 7 days this may be shortened to 8 hours if the nature of the work requires it.

Example: someone who closes at 01:00 can start at 12:00 the next day at the earliest. Closing and then opening the next morning is allowed at most once a week.

Weekly rest

At least 36 consecutive hours off per 7 days, or 72 hours per 14 days (which may be split into blocks of at least 32 hours).

Night shifts

A shift counts as a night shift when more than one hour falls between 00:00 and 06:00 — common for late bar and club closes. Night shifts are in principle limited to 10 hours; after a night shift ending after 02:00 at least 14 hours of rest is required (shortenable to 8 hours once a week); after a series of 3 or more night shifts, at least 46 hours of rest.

Recording hours

Employers must record working and rest times and keep those records. The Dutch Labour Inspectorate can ask for them. A planned rota is not enough — it has to reflect hours actually worked.

Collective agreements and exceptions

This guide covers the main statutory rules. Your collective agreement may add to them, and staff under 18 have stricter limits — see young workers. Always check the current rules at government.nl.