Calling in sick is one of those moments where the Dutch system quietly differs from what you are used to. There is no doctor’s note to chase, and your boss is not allowed to ask what is wrong. Here is how ziekmelden really works.
The basic act: ziekmelden
To report sick, you ziekmelden: you notify your employer as soon as possible, following the company’s verzuimprotocol (absence procedure). In practice that usually means a phone call before your shift or workday starts, to your manager or HR. A short message is enough:
- Goedemorgen, ik wil me graag ziekmelden. Ik kan vandaag niet werken. (I would like to report sick. I cannot work today.)
- Ik weet nog niet hoe lang, ik bel je morgen weer. (I do not know how long yet, I will call again tomorrow.)
You do not announce a diagnosis, and you should not feel you have to.
No doctor’s note, and your boss may not ask why
Two things surprise newcomers, both confirmed by the Rijksoverheid rules on illness:
- You do not need a ziektebriefje. Dutch GPs do not write notes for work absence, and an employer is not permitted to demand a medical certificate.
- Your employer may not ask what illness you have. Medical detail is private.
What your employer may ask is purely practical:
| Allowed to ask | Not allowed to ask |
|---|---|
| How long you expect to be absent | What is wrong with you |
| Your phone number and where you are reachable | Your diagnosis or symptoms |
| Which tasks need handing over | Medical history |
| Whether ongoing appointments are affected | Anything a doctor would know |
This split protects your privacy and is taken seriously by Dutch occupational-health services like ArboNed.
Enter the bedrijfsarts (not your GP)
If sick leave continues, the person who assesses you is the bedrijfsarts (company doctor), an independent occupational physician, not your huisarts. Under the Wet verbetering poortwachter (Gatekeeper Improvement Act), employer and employee follow fixed steps to get you back to suitable work. By law the bedrijfsarts must complete a probleemanalyse by around week six of continuous absence, though they can be brought in sooner. They are bound by medical confidentiality, so they do not pass your diagnosis to your manager, only your work capacity and advice on returning.
Useful vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| zich ziekmelden | to call in sick |
| het verzuimprotocol | the absence procedure |
| de bedrijfsarts | company / occupational doctor |
| het ziektebriefje | doctor’s note (not used here) |
| beter melden | to report recovered |
| re-integratie | return-to-work process |
When you recover, you beter melden (report yourself fit again) so payroll and the absence record are updated.
Where it connects
Knowing how to ziekmelden fits with the rest of working life in Dutch: what the arboarts call is about, what your boss can actually do during your proeftijd, and reading the contract you signed in the first place.
The bottom line
To call in sick, ziekmelden to your employer as early as you can, by phone, following the verzuimprotocol. You need no doctor’s note, and your employer may ask only practical questions, never your diagnosis. For longer absence the bedrijfsarts, not your GP, assesses you under the Wet verbetering poortwachter. Report beter when you are back. Simple, once you know the rules are on your side.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the phrases for the sick-leave call, ik wil me graag ziekmelden, ik kan vandaag niet werken, in five-minute lessons built on real workplace situations, so the call is short and clear.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a doctor’s note to call in sick in the Netherlands?
No. You do not need a doctor’s note (ziektebriefje), and Dutch GPs do not provide one for work absence. Your employer is not allowed to demand a medical certificate either. You simply report sick (ziekmelden) to your employer following the company’s absence protocol, usually a phone call. If there is doubt or the absence drags on, the employer engages the bedrijfsarts (company doctor), who assesses your fitness for work, not your GP.
What can my employer ask when I call in sick?
Per Rijksoverheid rules, your employer may ask only practical questions: how long you expect to be off, your phone number and where you can be reached, whether there are urgent tasks to hand over, and whether you fall under certain Sickness Act provisions. They may NOT ask what illness you have or any medical detail. You are not obliged to tell them your diagnosis.
Who is the bedrijfsarts and when do they get involved?
The bedrijfsarts is the company doctor (occupational physician). For longer sick leave they assess your ability to work and how to return, under the Wet verbetering poortwachter (Gatekeeper Improvement Act), which sets fixed steps. By law the bedrijfsarts must make a problem analysis by week six of continuous absence, though an employer can involve them earlier. They are independent and bound by medical confidentiality.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for work and calling in sick?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the workplace phrases you actually need, ziekmelden, ik kan vandaag niet werken, een afspraak met de bedrijfsarts, in five-minute real-situation lessons, so the sick-leave call and the follow-up are clear instead of nerve-wracking.
