Employers’ organization AWVN has found that in recent years more and more employers have changed the agreements on the ‘onregelmatigheidstoeslag’ (irregularity allowance – an allowance paid to employees for working at irregular, i.e. unorthodox, working hours, like Sundays, holidays, night shifts, etc.). A comparison of 100 collective labor agreements from a period of five years showed that there was not only a reduction in the number of allowances, but also in the height of the allowances.
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Employees who work at unorthodox working hours may be entitled to an irregularity allowance. The allowance is not regulated by law, but can be included in the collective labor agreement, the employment contract, or the staff regulations. According to AWVN, the fact that the agreements on the irregularity allowance are changing reflects a shift to a 24-hour economy. Working at unorthodox hours has become more and more accepted by both employers and employees. For example, fewer employees are currently being paid an irregularity allowance for working on Saturday mornings than five years ago. On the other hand, working nights shifts is more and more appreciated. AWVN expects the ongoing reduction in irregularity allowances to continue for the next few years.
