Registering with an employment agency

Copy of ID when registering with an employment agency

When you register, the employment agency must determine your identity by checking your original identity document. The employment agency must then request or make a copy, scan or photo (hereinafter referred to as “copy”) of your identity document.

Blacking out citizen service number of copy of ID

You are allowed to black out your citizen service number (Dutch: BSN) on the copy of your ID. The employment agency is not allowed to register your citizen service number when you register.

Retention of copy of ID

The employment agency may retain the copy of the ID for a maximum of 4 weeks. The employment agency must then destroy the copy. This is regulated in Article 7c of the Placement of Personnel by Intermediaries Act.

The employment agency may not destroy the copy of your ID if you are employed by the employment agency. In that case, the employment agency is your employer and it is by law obliged to retain the copy of the ID as long as you are employed and for 5 years thereafter.

Note: If you are self-employed or a freelancer and you are doing an assignment through an employment agency, the agency is not allowed to make a copy of your passport or identity card.

No citizen service number when registering with an employment agency

The employment agency is not allowed to ask for your citizen service number when you register. This is only allowed if you are employed by the employment agency. In that case, the employment agency, as your employer, is obliged to register your citizen service number and to use it to exchange wage-related data with the Tax and Customs Administration.

Note: There is one exception to this rule. If during your registration, the employment agency wants to check with the Employee Insurance Agency (Dutch: UWV) whether you fall within the target group of the Occupational Disability (Employment Targets and Quotas) Act, the employment agency must use your citizen service number for this.

Health when registering with an employment agency

The employment agency is not allowed to ask for your health when you register. For example, whether you have an illness or disability. Neither is the employment agency allowed to ask about your past absenteeism due to illness.

However, when you register, the agency is allowed to check with the UWV whether you fall within the target group of the Occupational Disability (Employment Targets and Quotas) Act. The employment agency must use your citizen service number for this request.

After two months of employment at the employment agency

When you have been employed by the employment agency for 2 months, the agency, as your employer, may ask whether you are eligible for the no-risk policy under the Sickness Benefits Act.