What work and rest rules apply at age 16 or 17?
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At sixteen and seventeen many jobs are allowed, but school counts as working time and hazardous tasks are restricted. Check tasks, supervision, school and rest together: a job contract does not remove youth protection.
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1. Are the tasks safe?
Many tasks are allowed if they are not dangerous or disruptive to education. Some risks require competent supervision, such as certain machinery, collapse hazards or aggressive animals. Other tasks, including toxic substances or harmful noise, are prohibited. Ask about the risk assessment, instructions and supervision for the actual task; an adult elsewhere in the building is not necessarily adequate supervision.
2. How do school and work add up?
The limits are nine hours per shift and 45 per week, with 160 over four weeks, averaging forty. School hours count. Combine school and all jobs: individually acceptable schedules can exceed the combined limit. A school holiday does not remove daily and weekly limits.
3. What rest and breaks apply?
Daily rest is at least twelve consecutive hours, including 23:00–06:00. Weekly rest is at least 36 consecutive hours in seven days. Working over 4.5 hours requires a thirty-minute break; splitting into two fifteen-minute breaks needs a collective arrangement. Actually schedule the breaks and rest.
4. Can I work nights or Sundays?
Night work, on-call duties and overtime are prohibited for sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds. Sunday work has special conditions concerning necessity, arrangements and personal consent. Normally at least thirteen Sundays yearly are free; fewer needs a permitted collective exception and consent. Ask before accepting a regular Sunday schedule. Here on-call duties means standby/consignment duty, not every casual or zero-hours contract. Ordinary work offered on a call-in basis may be lawful within the youth rules.
5. How do I check pay and terms?
Keep your contract, collective agreement, payslips and hours. Check the minimum wage for your age; a genuine educational internship is assessed differently from ordinary productive work merely labelled an internship. This guide does not cover under-sixteens, who face stricter rules. Get help if school and employer count hours differently.
6. How do I request a corrected schedule?
Send the employer a combined school/work/break/rest overview and request specific corrections and safe tasks. Involve a parent, school, union or Labour Authority where needed. Address immediate danger first. The checklist and letter send nothing and do not authorise prohibited tasks; discuss safety before the next shift.
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Do adult working-time rules apply from sixteen?
No. Special limits apply until eighteen, school counts, and nights, on-call duties and overtime are prohibited. Do not use the adult limits for your part-time job. Here on-call duties means standby/consignment duty, not every casual or zero-hours contract. Ordinary work offered on a call-in basis may be lawful within the youth rules.
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- Age and actual tasks
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Rijksoverheid — uren 16/17 ↗Rijksoverheid — pauze 16/17 ↗Rijksoverheid — werk 16/17 ↗Sources may be in Dutch. General information about Dutch law, not individual legal advice.