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Time Tracking in the Netherlands

Harvest offers a comprehensive solution for time tracking in the Netherlands, aligning with EU mandates and Dutch labor laws to ensure compliance and accuracy.

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How much revenue is your team leaving on the table?

Most agencies run at 55-60% utilization. Even a small improvement means significant revenue. See what closing the gap looks like for your team.

Number of people who track billable time
$
Blended rate across roles (junior, senior, lead)
55%
Percentage of total hours that are billable. Industry average is 55-60%.
75%
A realistic target for service businesses is 70-80%.
Monthly revenue gap $0
Revenue at current utilization $0/mo
Revenue at target utilization $0/mo
Extra billable hours needed per person/day 0h
Annual revenue opportunity $0

Start tracking team utilization

Walk through the entire flow below. Start a timer, check your reports, and create a real invoice — all in three clicks.

Go ahead — start tracking!

One click and you're timing. Try it right here: start a timer, add an entry, edit the details. This is exactly how it feels in Harvest.

  • One-click timer from browser, desktop & mobile
  • Works inside Jira, Asana, Trello, GitHub & 50+ tools
  • Duration or start/end — your call
  • Day, week & calendar views to stay on top of it all
  • Friendly reminders so no hour gets left behind
Acme Corp
Website Redesign
Homepage layout revisions
1:24:09
Content Strategy
Blog calendar planning
1:30:00
SEO Audit
Technical audit report
0:45:00
Brand Guidelines
Color system documentation
2:15:00
Logo Concepts
Initial sketches round 1
1:00:00
Today's total 6:54:09

The Legal Landscape of Time Tracking in the Netherlands

Time tracking in the Netherlands is governed by both European and national regulations, ensuring employee health and safety. The EU Time Tracking Law, following a 2019 European Court of Justice ruling, mandates that all EU businesses implement an 'objective, reliable, and accessible' time recording system by July 1, 2024. This is to ensure compliance with the European Working Time Directive (EWTD). In the Netherlands, the Working Hours Act (Arbeidstijdenwet) sets specific rules for working hours and rest periods, emphasizing the protection of employees.

Employers in the Netherlands are legally required to maintain detailed time and attendance records for all employees. These records must include hours worked, breaks, vacation time, and sick leave, and must be retained for at least one year. Employees have the right to access their own time records, ensuring transparency and compliance with labor laws. Failure to adhere to these regulations can result in fines up to €10,000 per employee.

Navigating Working Hours, Breaks, and Rest Periods

In the Netherlands, the Working Hours Act specifies maximum working hours and mandatory rest periods to safeguard employee welfare. Employees aged 18 and over can work a maximum of 12 hours per shift, with weekly hours not exceeding 60. Over a four-week period, the average workweek should not exceed 55 hours, and over a sixteen-week span, it should average no more than 48 hours, including overtime.

Mandatory rest periods include at least 11 consecutive hours between workdays and a 36-hour weekly rest. For shifts over 5.5 hours, a 30-minute break is required, and for shifts over 10 hours, a 45-minute break is mandated. These breaks are generally unpaid unless otherwise agreed. Exceptions apply to high-earning managerial staff, who may be exempt from these rules.

Time Tracking in the Modern Workplace: Tools, Remote Work, and Data Privacy

The modern workplace in the Netherlands increasingly relies on digital and auditable time tracking systems. These systems not only ensure compliance with labor laws but also offer features like mobile apps and integration capabilities with tools such as Asana and Slack. When it comes to remote work, employers must ensure compliance with both Dutch labor laws and the Working Conditions Act. This includes maintaining a safe home workplace and monitoring workloads effectively.

Data privacy is a critical component of time tracking, especially under GDPR. Employers must conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments for large-scale monitoring systems and establish clear policies that outline what data is tracked and how it is protected. Transparency and legitimate business interests must be considered when monitoring employee time and activities.

Ensuring Compliance and Avoiding Penalties

Compliance with time tracking laws in the Netherlands is crucial to avoid significant penalties. The Social Affairs and Employment Inspectorate (Inspectie SZW) is responsible for enforcing these regulations, with potential fines reaching up to €45,000 for violations. Employers bear the burden of proof to demonstrate adherence to working time regulations.

Best practices for compliance include implementing a reliable time tracking system, regularly reviewing practices, and integrating time registration with payroll systems to reduce errors. By maintaining adherence to the Working Hours Act and ensuring transparency in time tracking policies, businesses can avoid costly penalties and ensure a fair working environment for employees.

Time Tracking in the Netherlands with Harvest

Explore how Harvest supports compliant time tracking in the Netherlands, featuring integrations and easy access for remote work.

Harvest dashboard showing time tracking features relevant to the Netherlands.

Time Tracking in the Netherlands FAQs

  • Employers in the Netherlands must comply with the Working Hours Act, which mandates keeping records of hours worked, including breaks and leave, for at least one year. Employees must have access to their own records, ensuring transparency.

  • The Working Hours Act sets maximum working hours and required rest periods to protect employee health. Compliance requires accurate time tracking to ensure legal limits are not exceeded and that records are maintained for at least one year.

  • Tools like Harvest provide digital solutions for time tracking, offering features such as one-click timers, manual entries, and integration with platforms like Asana and Slack. These tools help ensure compliance with Dutch labor laws.

  • Yes, remote work time tracking must comply with the Working Conditions Act and the Working Hours Act, ensuring safe home work environments and accurate workload monitoring. Digital solutions like Harvest facilitate this compliance through accessible tracking features.

  • Non-compliance can result in fines up to €10,000 per employee, with a maximum of €45,000 for serious violations. Repeated offenses can lead to increased penalties and suspension of work activities.

  • Harvest supports remote work time tracking through features like one-click timers and manual time entries, ensuring flexibility and compliance with remote work regulations in the Netherlands.

  • The EU mandate, effective from July 1, 2024, requires all EU businesses to implement an 'objective, reliable, and accessible' time recording system to comply with the European Working Time Directive.