Equal treatment and pay

If you run a business in the Netherlands and employ staff, or if your business has its registered office outside of the Netherlands and you employ workers in the Netherlands, you must comply with the Dutch Equal Treatment Act (Algemene wet gelijke behandeling, AWGB). This Act states that employers may not discriminate on the grounds of religion, philosophy of life, political persuasion, age, race, sex, handicap or any other grounds. This rule relates to:

• recruitment and selection;
• employment mediation;
• entering into an employment relationship;
• dismissal;
• terms and conditions of employment and wages;
• professional education and refresher courses;
• internal recruitment and promotions;
• working conditions (on the shop floor);
• career orientation;
• (membership of) employers' and employees' organisations/professional associations;
• access to 'independent professions' (such as lawyers and civil-law notaries).

The Dutch Equal Treatment Commission (CGB) monitors compliance with this legislation.