Holidays and special leave

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Vacation days

Your vacation days are indicated as a result of the percentage of your contract. With a 40-hour contract (100%) you get 100% of paid vacation days each year: 26 days. If your contract is at 80% (32-hours a week), your vacation day total will be 80% of 26 (so, 20,8 days).  

By default you can take up to five vacation days with you into the next year. Saved more than that? Those will be paid out or you can ask for dispensation. But we strongly engourage you to use them all up during the year. It’s not just a nice theory to have vacation, it’s actually really healthy and important to recharge and take care of yourself. If you do happen to have a larger number of vacation days left at the end of the year that you want to take into the new year, or need extra days off, schedule a talk with your talent lead and HR to discuss your options. 

It’s not just a nice theory to have vacation, it’s actually really healthy and important to recharge and take care of yourself.

Birth leave

Congratulations! You’re pregnant, how wonderful. Although it might be a few weeks or months from now, it’s good to know the ins- and outs about your upcoming maternity leave. Your maternity leave may start anywhere between 6 and 4 weeks before the day after your due date. After delivery, you have at least another 10 weeks to get used to your little one and life. The total amount of your maternity leave cannot be less than 16 weeks. Are you a surrogate mother? This also applies to you.  

Sometimes, being pregnant isn’t a walk in the park all the time, right? If you’re unable to work more than 6 weeks before your due date, those weeks will count as sick leave. Don’t worry about your weeks after delivery: in that case your maternity leave will automatically start at 6 weeks before your due date.  

If your new-born is hospitalized for more than one week during your maternity leave, you are eligible for an extension of your leave. Contact HR if this applies to you. Did you get sick during your maternity leave? That doesn’t influence the duration of your leave. If you feel like you’re not ready to go back to work by the end of your maternity leave, you may of course use your parental leave (internal only) to spend more time with your little bundle of joy. The door is always open at HR to talk about your specific situation. 

Can’t wait to start working again? After the first 6 weeks after your delivery, you can take the last period of your maternity leave in parts. These last weeks may be spread over a maximum period of 30 weeks. You do this in consultation with your talent lead and HR.

Are you coming back to work and want to pump? There’s a designated Mother’s Room on the 6th floor, to pump in private. Use the time you need.  

Since this might be an overwhelming time, we got you covered. Want more information? Check out our knowledge base in TOPerations (internal only) or consultate the Dutch government’s Social Affairs and Employment website.  

Additional birth leave for partners

Congratulations to you too! How awesome that you are a parent of new life as well. We are pretty sure that you are excited to spend time with your newborn. As from the 1st of July 2020, you get five working weeks of birth leave, which you can use during the first six months after the baby is born.

During the birth leave, partners will benefit equal to 70% of their salary, paid by the UWV (Employee Insurance Agency). At TOPdesk we love to do a little extra, that’s why we chose to raise this amount to 100% of your salary. 

This leave is additional to the 1-time working week paid leave. This special leave should be taken within the first four weeks after the baby is born. 

Do you want more information? Check out our internal TOPerations or the Dutch website of the Ministery of Social Affairs and Employment.

Adoption- and fostercare leave

Amazing, congratulations! You’re adopting a child, or taking a foster child into your home. We can imagine this is going to be a wonderful, but also challenging new task in your life. Therefore, you are entitled to a maximum of 6 weeks leave with a full salary during the leave. You can start taking flexible adoption or foster leave from 4 weeks before the child is welcomed into your family, up to 22 weeks after their arrival. Please contact HR to figure out what is applicable in your situation and to learn more about this unique type of leave. Want to do some internet research? Check out the Dutch Ministery of Social Affairs and Employment guidelines.  

Parental leave

Parental leave is a special type of leave that allows you to take time off to care for a child under the age of 8. Per child, you are entitled to 26 times the number of hours you weekly work. Parental leave also applies if you have an adopted child, foster child or stepchild under the age of 8. 

Parental leave used to be unpaid, but from august 1st 2022, it will be partially paid by law: 70% of your salary in the first 9 weeks of parental leave, while the other 17 weeks stay unpaid. However, at TOPdesk, we’ve added something extra! 

New parents get 100% of their salary during the first 9 weeks of parental leave, in the first year of their child’s life. The other 17 weeks of parental leave (which must be used before the child turns 8) can be used while still receiving 50% of your salary. 

Read all about taking up parental leave on TOPerations (internal only). 

Care leave

Do you have a loved one that is ill? Do you want to take care of them? TOPdesk offers you a short-term care leave to take up to 7 fully paid days every 12 months, if you work full-time. You don’t have to take the leave in a continuous period necessarily. The legal conditions for this type of leave do state that you must be the only person who is expected to take care of the sick person.  

Always report your care leave with your talent lead and HR beforehand. If you can’t do that, report it as soon as possible. Need more information? Check out the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.

Emergency leave

Houston, we’ve got a problem! Got a serious emergency going on? Take emergency leave for as long as necessary to sole this urgent, private problem. This emergency leave can be used for a few hours up to a few days, without a maximum number of emergency leave per year. Does the emergency leave concern the caretaking of another person? The leave will be converted into care leave after one day. We trust you to discuss emergency leave with your talent lead.  

For more information, check the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. Curious what situations apply for emergency leave? Take a look at this FAQ.

Do you want and need more time for personal goals, besides vacation time and weekends? No problem, all TOPdesk employees can apply for unpaid leave.

Unpaid leave

Do you want and need more time for personal goals, besides vacation time and weekends? No problem, all TOPdesk employees can apply for unpaid leave. Where? Talk to your talent lead or HR. Together you will reach an agreement on your leave. What are the options? The following two:  

• Terminate your employment at TOPdesk and sign a new contract, with the same terms, that starts when you return from your leave. 
• Keep your contract and temporarily adjust it to 0%. This option depends on the duration of your unpaid leave.   

Are there things to keep in mind? Yes. If you consider taking unpaid leave, make sure you talk to HR about the consequences for your pension and future days off. During your unpaid leave, you do not accumulate paid vacation days.

Other types of leave

Sadly, life offers us tragic moments. On the other hand, life also brings us a lot of joy! For some of these tragic and joyous events TOPdesk has special leave. Summed up: 

• Your wedding | 2 days
• Your partner gives birth | 1 working week  
• Funeral of a(n) (adoptive) parent (in-law) | 2 days 
• Funeral of a second-degree (adoptive) family member (in-law) | 1 day 
• Your own marriage or registered partnership has reached the 25-years or 40-years milestone | 1 day
• If your partner or child passes away, the official rule is that you will be granted leave from the day of their passing until after the funeral, with a maximum of five days. Please contact HR to cater to your needs. 
• If you aren’t married, the same rules apply if you have a serious and affectionate relationship with your partner and you live with them permanently.

If you have questions or a situation that does not fall under the above, please ask HR or discuss it with your talent lead.