About this handbook

R3sourcer is written for founders, COOs and people-ops generalists at foreign companies that have, or are about to have, staff in the Netherlands. Most of you are not HR specialists, and you should not have to become one to hire a good person in Amsterdam or Eindhoven.

The handbook follows the order in which things actually happen: making an offer, drawing up a contract, deciding who will be the legal employer, running payroll, and handling the moments that need care, such as sick leave, holiday pay and pension. Each Dutch term is explained once, the first time you meet it, and after that we use it the way your Dutch colleagues will.

How we write

We write in the second person, because this is your checklist. Every page aims to answer three questions: what you will need, what it will cost you, and what tends to go wrong. Where the answer depends on your sector, your CAO or your contract, we say so instead of guessing.

What this handbook is not

R3sourcer is a guide, not legal or tax advice. Dutch employment rules and rates change every year. Before you sign a contract or run payroll, check the current figures and, when the stakes are high, speak to a qualified adviser in the Netherlands.