In Delft, with its thriving high-tech and education sector, collective labour agreements (CAOs) often provide supplementary dismissal compensations in addition to the statutory transition payment. Article 7:673 paragraph 12 of the Dutch Civil Code (BW) stipulates that CAO provisions take precedence if they are more favourable to the employee. Consider the metal CAO, relevant for companies around TU Delft: here an 'old-style' compensation of 1 month's salary per year of service applies, which can be stacked on top of the transition payment.
Key sectors in Delft: Construction (Construction CAO: extra on top of transition, ideal for projects at Technopolis), Care (at institutions like Reinier de Graaf Hospital: up to 1.5 months per year of service) and Education (specific transition pots at TU Delft and universities of applied sciences). Check your CAO via the CAO finder on cao.nl or local trade union offices in the Delft region. For VSOs in Delft schools, the total arrangement must not be less favourable than the transition payment plus equitable compensation.
In 2025, CAOs in Delft remain flexible due to the dynamic labour market, while the Act on Compensation for Transition Payments encourages employers to form pots for long-term employment relationships, such as for university staff. Benefits: higher payouts, outplacement via local agencies and sometimes retraining for tech jobs. Disadvantage: more complex calculations due to Delft CAO variations.
Tip: Approach trade unions such as FNV in Delft for negotiations. In disputes, the sub-district court in The Hague decides based on the CAO text and local case law.