The new amounts of the Dutch minimum hourly wage
The Dutch statutory gross minimum hourly wage applies to all workers aged 15 years and over, whose weekly or monthly wage depends on the working hours agreed with the company.
The Dutch government adjusts the minimum wage twice a year – on January 1st and on July 1st – in line with the development of collectively agreed average wages.
For all workers aged 21 and older, a fixed minimum hourly wage is established, while for workers aged between 15 and 21, a youth minimum hourly wage applies, with a gradual increase proportional to the age attained.
Below are the amounts of the minimum hourly wage by age in the Netherlands, updated to July 1st, 2024:
| WORKER AGE | GROSS MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE |
| 21 and over | €13.68 |
| 20 | €10.94 |
| 19 | €8.21 |
| 18 | €6.84 |
| 17 | €5.40 |
| 16 | €4.72 |
| 15 | €4.10 |
Calculation of weekly and monthly wage: an example
The number of hours in a working week may vary from one company to another.
Working hours depend on:
- The hours actually worked;
- The hours of holiday leave;
- The hours of sick leave;
- The number of working days in each month.
Considering a worker aged 21 or older who works 40 hours per week and receives the statutory minimum hourly wage, his weekly wage as of July 1st 2024 is:
40 (number of hours worked in one week) x €13.68 (statutory minimum hourly wage for workers aged 21 and over) = €547.20.
If the weekly working time is agreed with the employer, the employee is entitled to receive a fixed monthly wage based on the average number of hours worked in a month. This figure can be derived from the total number of hours worked in a calendar year.
The calculation of the fixed monthly amount is thus equal to:
(number of hours worked in a calendar year ÷ 12 months) x statutory minimum hourly wage.
That is to say,
(2,096 ÷ 12) x 13.68 = €2,389.44.
Sanctions for non-compliance with minimum levels
The Dutch Labour Authority can request an employer’s payroll records if it suspects that the employer is violating minimum wage regulations.
If the authorities find that an employee is underpaid, the employer is obliged to pay the wages due within four weeks. If this does not happen, the labour authority may impose a penalty of up to a maximum of € 40,000 per worker.
In addition, employers who do not pay their employees properly can be fined up to €10,000 per employee.
