Summary dismissal in the Netherlands: a practical step-by-step plan

Summary dismissal in Dutch law means that your employment contract ends immediately because of an alleged serious misconduct. There is no notice period and, in many cases, you risk losing unemployment benefits. This makes it one of the most far-reaching forms of termination. In this article you find a practical step-by-step plan and an explanation of how outplacement can support your next career move.

What is summary dismissal under Dutch labour law?

Summary dismissal (ontslag op staande voet) is an immediate termination of the employment contract by employer or employee because of an urgent reason. According to Dutch labour law this is only allowed if the employer reasonably cannot be expected to continue the employment relationship. The employer must act quickly and clearly communicate the reason for dismissal.

Typical examples of an urgent reason are theft, fraud, violence or persistent refusal to work after warnings. The legal basis can be found in the Dutch Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek, article 7:678). The dismissal must be given without undue delay after the employer has become aware of the facts, but the employer is allowed to conduct a short investigation first.

For the employee the impact is substantial. You may lose your job overnight, your income is at risk and the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) can judge your unemployment as culpable. This is why a clear step-by-step approach and early legal and career guidance are crucial.

• Immediate termination without notice period
• Only allowed in case of an urgent reason
• Strict legal conditions regarding timing and communication
• High risk for unemployment benefits and severance
• Often the start of a broader career transition

Why you need a step-by-step plan after summary dismissal

Summary dismissal often comes as a shock. Emotions are high, while important legal and financial choices have to be made very quickly. A structured plan helps you to separate what needs attention today from what can wait a few days, and to avoid decisions that harm your position with the UWV or in court.

If you want to challenge the dismissal, strict deadlines apply for submitting a request to the subdistrict court (kantonrechter). At the same time you may be invited to sign statements or agreements that confirm the employer's view. A step-by-step approach ensures that you first secure your position and only then consider possible arrangements.

In parallel you can start thinking about your career perspective. Even if the dismissal is later converted into a termination by mutual consent, the trust between you and your employer is often seriously damaged. Many employees then choose to focus on finding new work with the support of an outplacement programme.

• Emotions and legal deadlines come together
• Structure helps to avoid rushed decisions
• You safeguard your position towards court and UWV
• You keep sight of your long-term career prospects
• You can involve both legal and career specialists in time

Step 1: Do not sign anything immediately

The first step is to pause. Employers sometimes ask you to sign a written confirmation that you agree with the dismissal or that you admit serious misconduct. Such a statement can be used against you in court or by the UWV when assessing your right to unemployment benefits.

Ask for time to think and indicate that you want legal advice before signing anything. Make your own notes about what happened: the conversation, the accusations, who was present and at what time. Save all relevant e-mails, messages and documents. These details are often important later.

By taking this small distance you give yourself space to respond in a factual and calm way. This is also the moment to contact a lawyer, union or legal aid provider. They can help you assess the seriousness of the situation and the possible routes forward.

• Never sign documents on the spot
• Request time to seek legal advice
• Write down your own version of events
• Record names, dates and times
• Collect and store all relevant communication

Step 2: Check the legal conditions

The second step is to check whether the employer has complied with the legal requirements for summary dismissal. There must be a legally valid urgent reason, the dismissal must be given without undue delay and the reason must be clearly communicated to you.

Courts look not only at the facts, but also at your personal circumstances: length of service, previous track record, age and the consequences for your position on the labour market. A single incident may be judged differently depending on this broader context. This is why a tailored legal assessment is essential.

At the same time you can already explore your career options. Many employees want to know what outplacement involves when they realise that returning to their current employer is no longer realistic. Combining legal and career perspectives helps you to make balanced decisions.

• Assess whether there is a real urgent reason
• Check if the employer acted quickly enough
• Verify whether the reason was clearly communicated
• Let a labour law specialist review your case
• Start exploring future career support options

Step 3: Acting towards UWV and court

If you disagree with the summary dismissal you have to decide whether you want to ask the subdistrict court to annul the dismissal or to claim compensation. Strict deadlines apply, so early consultation with a lawyer is important. Your legal strategy also influences how you present your situation to the UWV.

The UWV assesses whether your unemployment is culpable. If they consider your behaviour seriously culpable, you may lose your right to unemployment benefits. It is therefore crucial that your statements are consistent and well-considered. Legal guidance helps you to present your side of the story clearly and factually.

In this phase many employees already start orientating themselves on the labour market. Support from an outplacement specialist can be valuable here. Programmes such as outplacement after dismissal focus on both emotional processing and practical steps towards new work.

• Discuss with a lawyer which legal route fits your case
• Monitor deadlines for submitting court requests
• Prepare your unemployment benefits application carefully
• Ensure consistent and factual explanations
• Start building a bridge to the labour market

Step 4: Negotiating a settlement agreement

In many cases summary dismissal leads to negotiations about a settlement agreement (vaststellingsovereenkomst, VSO). This is a written agreement between employer and employee in which the terms of termination are laid down, such as end date, payments and possible outplacement support.

For the employer this can limit legal risks and costs. For you as an employee it can mean that you receive a transition payment or other compensation, a neutral reference and a budget for an individual outplacement programme. The wording of the agreement is important for your chances of receiving unemployment benefits.

It is always wise to have a draft settlement agreement reviewed by a legal specialist before signing. They can check whether the financial arrangements are reasonable, whether your rights towards the UWV are sufficiently protected and whether outplacement support is arranged in a meaningful way.

• Explore whether conversion into a VSO is possible
• Negotiate end date and financial arrangements
• Pay attention to the description of the reason for termination
• Include outplacement support where possible
• Have the agreement checked before signing

Step 5: Emotional impact and your career story

Summary dismissal almost always affects your self-confidence and professional identity. You may feel ashamed, angry or insecure. These emotions can make it difficult to look ahead and to present yourself convincingly to new employers.

Working through the experience is therefore not a luxury but a necessity. In outplacement programmes there is often explicit attention for this emotional side: what happened, what can you learn from it and how do you want to position yourself in the future. This helps you to develop a realistic and constructive narrative about your departure.

A coach can help you to translate a difficult ending into a meaningful career story. The focus shifts from the incident itself to your competences, values and lessons learned. This is essential when you start networking or applying for jobs, because employers will ask about your previous position and the reason for leaving.

• Acknowledge the emotional impact of the dismissal
• Use coaching to process and reflect
• Develop a professional and honest career story
• Focus on strengths and lessons learned
• Prepare for questions from future employers

Step 6: Building your future with outplacement

After the first legal and emotional steps the focus gradually shifts to your future. Outplacement is a structured form of career support that helps you move from one job to another after dismissal. It combines reflection, skills development and active job search.

In a typical programme you work on mapping your competences and interests, updating your CV and LinkedIn profile, training your interview skills and developing a networking strategy. For many employees after summary dismissal it is particularly helpful to practice explaining their situation in a calm and professional way.

Care4Careers specialises in tailor-made outplacement for employees in the Dutch labour market. Depending on your background and sector, the emphasis can be more on orientation, on concrete job search or on starting as an independent professional. Articles such as dismissal and your next step and what an outplacement trajectory entails provide additional context for this process.

• Outplacement connects reflection and concrete job search
• You strengthen your profile on the labour market
• You practice how to tell your story convincingly
• You explore different career directions
• You work step by step towards sustainable new work

Summary: combining legal clarity and career perspective

Summary dismissal in the Netherlands has far-reaching consequences for your income, legal position and career. A clear step-by-step plan helps you to first secure your rights, then consider possible arrangements such as a settlement agreement and finally build a realistic perspective on new work.

The core elements are: do not sign anything immediately, have the legal basis of the dismissal assessed, act in time towards court and UWV, and explore whether a negotiated termination with outplacement support is possible. At the same time it is important to give space to the emotional impact and to work consciously on a constructive career story.

By combining legal expertise with professional outplacement guidance you increase the chance of an outcome that is both legally sound and future-oriented. That way a difficult end of one employment relationship can become the beginning of a more sustainable and fitting next step in your career.