FAQ (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)

 

New Candidates (related questions)

Where are we located?
Our office is located in Gemert, 20 min from the city Eindhoven.
And our housing is located in the area of Gemert, Boekel, Helmond, Uden and Oisterwijk.  

Do I need to speak Dutch or English to work for People Work Service?
Dutch is not needed to work in the Netherlands, however, it’s a big plus! We expect you to speak a little bit of English, that way it will be easier to find a good job for you. The better you speak English the better jobs you may get.  

Do I need work experience?
Depending on the job you may or may not need work expierence. For example, Welders or Roofers definitely need work experience. But we also have a lot of jobs where there’s no work experience needed. Most important is work motivation and if you have that, we will definitely find a good job for you.  

I am going with my partner/ friends can they join me?
They can certainly register with us and do an interview and if they fit in a profile for a job, they can come aswell. We have a lot of couples working with us and groups of friends too, but especially with groups not everybody can start at the same job and at the same time.

How can I apply for a job?
You can basically apply for a job by going to our website and signing yourself in via the register form or by applying on the job vacancies. Or you can send a mail to cv@peopleworkservice.nl  or silvia@peopleworkservice.nl Keep in mind to send a CV with you application for a better chance to get a job.  

What is a BSN and why do I need it?
A bsn number is like a sofi-number. So in your own country you have a personal identification number, and when you come to work or live in the Netherlands you get a Dutch one as well.  You do need one to be able to work here, so that our government knows who is actually working and who is just here for a visit.  

How can I get a BSN number?
We will make you an appointment at a bsn-office and go with you to get the BSN number. To get one is very simple, but it’s very important that your documents are valid and in a good state and not damaged.

When I come to the Netherlands, how do we proceed?
Most of the people come by plane and land in Eindhoven, from there we can pick you up. We can also pick you up at the train or bus station. Or it is possible to come with the public transportation to our office in Gemert. The address is Ruijschenberghstraat 1 in Gemert. From there we will explain how everything is going to be with the work, after that we will bring you to our housing.

What do I need to bring when I come to the Netherlands?
You will need to bring some documents with you in order to check your identity and get registered in our system. Next to that we need your bank information, so we know where to send your salary. The following documents must be presented with a valid date: 

• A physical passport or ID in good condition (not broken because if it is, it will not be valid and it will be impossible to start to work). 
• Driving license in case you have it (but it needs to be a physical version) 
• BSN number if you already worked in The Netherlands (if you don’t have we can get you one)
  
• Bank account on your name (if you don’t have one, we will help you get one here). We only pay with the bank! not cash. 

I want to work for Peopleworkservice, what are the main requirements?
Well, anybody is welcome to work at our agency. It doesn’t matter what working experience you have or how old you are. Everybody can apply for a job, but there are some things that are important. Our basic requirements are:

• you need an EU passport or permit to stay to work in The Netherlands. (a working permit/ permit to stay from another country is not accepted)
• You need to have a basic level of English to communicate
  
• Motivation to work and learn new things is always a plus!! Not required but will make your stay a lot easier 
• Driver license if you have
  
• Certificates if you have 
• Other document (for example BSN, if you worked already in the Netherlands)

 

Work (related questions)

How many hours will my shift be?
Most of the contracts are full time and they variate between 36-40 hours per week. The reason behind this is because some clients have a 40 hour work week and some have a 36 hour work week. However we also offer part time work, these contract variate from 18 to 28 hours per week.

How does everything work with overtime?
Not every company offers overtime hours, but most of them do. Overtime hours are always hours that get extra % per hour. How much this is depends which company you work for. But for example on of our biggest clients works normal 36 hours, they are paid 100%. 36 to 40 hours are paid 112,5%, 40 to 45 hours are paid 125% and more than 45 hours are paid 150%. The companies that have a 40 hour work week, have the 40 hours paid 100%. Hours you work more a week are paid extra %, but how much this is depends per client.  Next to that, with a lot of companies it’s possible to work more hours, depending on the amount of work they have and how you perform you will get a chance to make overhours. People that work good will get the first chance to make overhours.

How long is the contract for?
The duration of the contracts can be several months or one year however your contract will automatically be renewed if you perform good and you want to stay for a longer time.  It is possible to get a permanent contract directly for the client you work for, if you have been working for the same company for one and half year. If you have been working more than 78 weeks for us, but for different clients you can get a Fase B contract with our agency. We will explain more about our contracts in an upcoming article.

What about the extra pay on saturdays and sunday?
Like extra hours, also saturday and sunday work have different % which come to your hours depending per client. You can always ask what the extra % are for the client where you work, just come by the office and we will have look. But you can always wait for your payslip and see yourself. Most of the companies have around 150% pay per hour on saturdays and sundays. A few clients pay around 140% but some even have a sunday where you get paid 200%.

What clothes do I need to wear for work regarding safety?
Every company has different kind of rules with clothing and safety measures. At the office we can explain what you need to wear for a specific job. But for most clients working shoes with a hard toe are needed and for some jobs you will need to wear a helmet. (For Construction jobs)

 

Health Insurance (related questions)

Do I need private health insurance?
By law, you need to be insured to be able to work and live in the Netherlands. But when you work here you can get our collective insurance. More information about health insurance check our other article: https://peopleworkservice.nl/nieuws/health-insurance-in-the-netherlands/ 

Is the health insurance from my home country valid in the Netherlands?
Private health insurance from another country is not valid unless you are just here for vacation. But for working it’s not valid.  

How do I pay for the health insurance?
The costs for health insurance are automatically deducted from your salary. Unless you choose for a private health insurance, then it something you decide together with the private health insurance company.  

Does this insurance also apply to healthcare costs outside the Netherlands?
You are insured worldwide for emergency care. The reimbursement you receive for care abroad is never higher than the cost of treatment in the Netherlands, so you are insured.

What I have to do as a worker if I need to go to the doctor?
Normally you have to make an appointment at the doctor yourself, we have a doctor’s practice in Uden that will happily help you. You can call our office for the number and the address. If you have any trouble, we can also help you.  

 

Salary (related questions)

How much do I earn?
Depending on where you work your salary will be determined, but housing and health insurance are also important on what kind of money you will have when you get your salary. Next to that there are all kinds of arrangements for example the ET-arrangement that will have a positive effect on your salary. But everything that you will earn is conform the sectors-CAO (the rules per sector). This means that you will get paid conform the same rules the client has.

What is the minimum salary in The Netherlands?
Depening on how old you are there is a minimum salary in the Netherlands. Keep in mind, in the Netherlands we talk in bruto salary, not in netto salary.
These are the minimum bruto salaries for fulltime work in the Netherlands.
21 years or older – €1934,- per month
20 years – €1547,50 per month
19 years – €1160,65 per month
18 years – €967,20 per month

When is the salary paid?
At People Work Service you receive your salary every week on fridays. But we also need time to process the hours. We get the hours of the clients the week after, and then we start processing them. The week after that we already pay. So your first salary will come in the 3rd week on the Friday. Your 2nd salary will come in the 4th week. And so, it goes on.

Can I get my salary per month?
It’s not possible to get your salary per month, but it’s possible to get you salary paid per period (4 weeks) which is almost the same. But most people want the salary to be paid per week.  

How does my salary get paid?
When you come to our office for the first time, we make copies of your documents. The bank account is one of them, because we need proof the bank account belongs to you, it’s on your name. This information is used so we are able to pay your salary on that specific account. Sometimes we are asked if we can transfer a salary to an account of someone else, unfortunately this is not allowed.  

My salary seems to be wrong, what do I need to do?
When you think there is something wrong with your salary, we recommend you to contact our office and tell exactly what you think is wrong. We will be happy to help you, and see if it’s something that’s wrong or that you might have overlooked. Most of the time employees forget to fill in their hours, or they forget to clock in at work. And when the hours we get from the client are lower than they should be, we have to check again with the client.  

Can I get a money advance?
Only new workers can get an advance with our agency. But this is only possible when they have worked for more than a week and they have to wait for their first salary to come. We allow a maximum amount of 75 euro’s a person for a full worked week of 40 hours. Because costs for housing and health insurance will have to be paid aswell and aside that you need to get some salary too.

Do I have to pay taxes in The Netherlands?
Yes, because you work in The Netherlands you pay taxes, the amount of money you need to pay depends of your working hours and how old you are.
But there are several things like ET-arrangement which we offer to our employees than has a positive effect on the taxes you pay. So in this case, taxes are less. But ET-arrangments are calculated bases on nationality and age. Don’t worry taxes are already paid when you get your salary, that’s why on the payslip you will first see a bruto amount and below the payslip you will see the netto amount. So at the payslip you can see what you pay with taxes.

 

Accommodation (related questions)

Do you offer accommodation?
We offer the possibility to arrange your housing in the Netherlands through People Work Service. So, if you are looking for a work with accommodation, we can help you.

How is the accommodation that PeopleWorkService offers?
Good housing is important for the well-being and motivation of our migrant workers. All houses of People Work Service meet the standards of the Stichting Normering Flexwonen. This means that if you want housing through us, you will end up in a place where everything meets the requirements and safety standards according to the Dutch government. This way, we guarantee the quality of housing for migrant workers.

What kind of accommodation do you have?
Something we are really proud of as an agency is our really good accommodation. Most of the accommodations we have are houses and apartments and a few vacation homes. We have shared rooms, single rooms and studios. All are furnished and neatly maintained, and we like to keep them that way. We also find it important that you live in a safe, quiet, and clean environment. Many agencies have accommodations like, big hotels and apartment complexes which are entirely for the agency. But, accommodating 50+ or 100+ people at one place with shared facilities is not what we want for the people that work with us.  

With how many people I’m going to live?
You will be living with other workers and in most cases you will be sharing a bedroom with one person. Our rooms have maximum capacity for 2 persons, more we don’t allow.  Sometimes we have small studios or apartments and also single rooms, but we have a waiting list for our current employees. People that plan to stay for a longer time and do good at work will get the first available places. For some specific jobs and functions we might have some single rooms available.

Can I live with my partner/friends?
Everything all depends on availability, but we always try our best to place people that come together in the same housing. We will find a good match with the people that are already living there.  Couples we always manage to place them in a double room together.  

Do I have to pay for the accommodation?
Yes, of course you must pay for the room you have; the costs of a double room are 113,47€ per week per person, and a single room cost 135,65€ per week. These costs will be deducted from your salary. And you will start paying as soon as you start working. Own apartments and studios may vary in cost, and when we have one available, we will discuss with you what the costs will be.  

Can I get a private apartment? 
The Netherlands is an overcrowded place, which means it’s more difficult to find housing. People that really work hard, prove themselves to be good employees, and have the plan to stay for a long time of course get priority when a 2-person apartment comes available, but also here it’s not always possible to find your own apartment, keep in mind that these things take time.  
 
I find my own housing; can I still work with the agency? 
Yes, you can live in any other accommodation you find. We have many people working for us who have their own accommodation. However in this case, transport is not guaranteed. Depending on where you live, it may or may not be possible to pick you up. 

 

Transport (related questions)

Will I have transport to go to work?
Yes, we have two possibilities, if the accommodation is less than 10 km from the job location, a bicycle can be rented (1,95 euros per worked day). And if the accommodation is more than 10km, the agency offers a driver to pick you up and drive you to work (7.50€ per worked day). Most companies do pay the transportation, so it that case the 7.50 you will not have to pay. Or you will get a KM-compensation on your payslip.  If the person has a driver’s license, a vehicle to go to work can be offered, this person has the chance to pick up and drop off workers from the same company and the driver will be paid a KM-compensation. How much it is depends on the company.  

Can I use the company car for personal kilometers?
You cannot use a company car for private matters. But we sometimes make an exception for a couple of things. For example, if you need to go to the doctor or a hospital of course you are able to use the car. Because illness can affect your job, and the sooner you are helped the better it is for everyone. For all other matters it’s not allowed, but if there are some kinds of special cases you can always ask us and we will check what is possible.  

Can I use/bring my own car? If so, how is the process?
If you have your own car here in the Netherlands you also have the option to use it to go to work like any normal person. Of course, if the distance to work is a bit longer you will get a KM-compensations for that. If you want to bring your own car to The Netherlands, for example from Spain, that´s also possible, you just need to take in consideration you’re only allowed to drive it here for a maximum of 6 months. If you change your personal registration to a place in the Netherlands you also need to register your car in the Dutch car registration RDW. Otherwise, you are not allowed to drive it. If you want know more about buying and registrating a car in the Netherlands check out our upcoming article.