Unpaid salary in the Netherlands: what can you do?
If your employer has not paid your salary, establish what is missing and request payment in writing. A payslip alone does not prove that the money reached your account.
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1. Check the facts
Compare your contract, collective agreement (cao), hours and bank statements. Make a list for each pay period and separate wages, allowances and expenses. If you work through an agency, check which company is your employer.
2. Take action
Send a dated payment request with the periods and amounts concerned. Ask for a written explanation and keep a copy. Do not stop attending work without advice: a wage dispute does not automatically make refusing work safe.
3. If the problem continues
If payment still does not arrive, discuss a wage claim with a union, legal expenses insurer or legal adviser. If the employer cannot pay its debts, contact UWV promptly about insolvency protection; that route differs from an ordinary dispute.
Documents to prepare
- Employment contract and cao
- Payslips and bank statements
- Hours and written payment requests
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For personal help, check your legal expenses insurance, trade union or Het Juridisch Loket. Ask about language support and costs before instructing a lawyer. Do not share names or private documents in the chat.
Rechtspraak ↗UWV ↗Het Juridisch Loket ↗Sources may be in Dutch. General information about Dutch law, not individual legal advice. Updated 11 September 2026.