Dutch Payslip Explained: Understanding Your Salary and Deductions

💶 Why your payslip matters

If you’re working in the Netherlands, you receive a payslip (loonstrook) every time you’re paid — weekly or monthly. Many EU workers ignore it, but it contains important details like:

• Your gross vs. net pay
• Hours worked and wage per hour
• Taxes and deductions
• Holiday pay and other bonuses

Understanding your payslip helps you spot mistakes, check your rights, and avoid being underpaid.

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🧾 What’s on a typical Dutch payslip?

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll usually see:

Field	What it means
Naam werknemer	Your full name
BSN	Your citizen service number
Bedrijfsnaam	The company or agency employing you
Periode	The week or month the payslip covers
Uurloon	Your hourly wage (gross)
Aantal gewerkte uren	Number of hours worked
Bruto loon	Total before taxes and deductions
Netto loon	What you receive in your bank account
Vakantiegeld	Holiday pay (8% if not paid separately)
Loonheffing	Wage tax withheld
Zorgverzekering (optioneel)	Insurance deduction (if arranged via employer)
Reiskostenvergoeding	Travel reimbursement, if applicable
Toeslagen / bonussen	Extra pay (evening shift, weekend, etc.)

📌 Each employer has their own format, but the required elements are always present.

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💰 Gross vs. Net – What’s the difference?

• Gross (bruto): The full wage you’ve earned
• Net (netto): What you actually receive after taxes and deductions

Typical deductions:

• Wage tax (loonbelasting)
• Social contributions (AOW, WW, WIA)
• Possibly: zorgverzekering or housing if your employer arranges these

✅ You should always get a net pay that matches or exceeds the Dutch minimum wage after legal deductions.

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🎁 Holiday Pay (Vakantiegeld)

You’re entitled to 8% of your gross wage as holiday pay. This may be:

• Paid monthly as part of your wage
• Saved and paid out in May or when your contract ends

Check if it’s listed as:

• “Vakantiegeld”
• “Opbouw vakantiegeld” (accumulated)
• “Incl. vakantiegeld” (already included)

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🔢 What should you check each time?

• Is your hourly wage correct? (match contract and legal minimum)
• Is the number of hours correct?
• Is holiday pay visible or explained?
• Are any deductions unexpected or unclear?

🧠 If anything is unclear, ask your employer or check with a workers’ help desk. Never be afraid to speak up.

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📉 Examples of suspicious deductions

• Housing: Only legal if you’ve signed an agreement and it’s clearly listed
• Health insurance: Allowed only if you’ve agreed and employer pays it on your behalf
• “Other” or “diverse” deductions: These should be explained in writing

If your payslip says:

• “Loon onder minimum”
• “Looncorrectie zonder uitleg”
• “Vooruitbetaling teruggehaald”

📢 It may indicate a problem or manipulation. Ask for clarification or support.

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✅ Summary

Section	Key points
📄 Payslip info	Gross/net wage, hours, tax, extras
💶 Gross vs. Net	Know the difference, track deductions
🌴 Holiday pay	8% must be paid monthly or yearly
🚩 Red flags	Strange deductions, missing hours, unclear items
🛠️ Take action	Ask, check, request explanation or legal help