Recognising Sick Leave Fraud — What Amsterdam Employers Should Watch For

Sick leave that does not add up — a growing problem in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a city of entrepreneurs. From the canal district to Zuidoost, from the Zuidas to the Western Harbour area — thousands of businesses run daily on the trust between employer and employee. But what happens when that trust is betrayed?

Sick leave fraud costs Dutch businesses hundreds of millions of euros annually. And in a city like Amsterdam, where the labour market is tight and wages are high, the impact per employee is significant. An employee who reports sick for months while working elsewhere — you feel that directly in the bottom line.

Five warning signals Amsterdam employers should take seriously

Not every prolonged absence is suspicious. But certain patterns deserve attention:

• Social media activity that does not match the complaints. Your employee reports back pain, but posts photos of a weekend mountain biking. It sounds like a cliche, but it happens regularly.
• Unreachable at fixed times. The employee is structurally unavailable at the moments when the occupational doctor visits or calls.
• Signals from colleagues. Colleagues report that the employee is active at another company, working at a market stall, or renovating at home.
• Pattern-based absenteeism. Always sick on Mondays, always around holidays, always after a conflict — patterns tell a story.
• No progress in reintegration. The employee does not cooperate with reintegration, fails to attend appointments, or refuses adapted work.

What are you legally allowed to do as an Amsterdam employer?

This is where it gets legally interesting. As an employer, you have a right to information, but there are limits. You may not follow the employee yourself or request their medical records. What you may do:

• Engage an occupational doctor for an independent assessment
• Make agreements about availability and mandatory contact moments
• Engage a qualified investigation agency if there is a reasonable suspicion of fraud

That last point is key: where there is a reasonable suspicion of abuse, a professional sick leave investigation is legally permissible. We test every investigation beforehand against the principles of proportionality and the GDPR.

A practical example from Amsterdam’s hospitality sector

A hospitality entrepreneur in Amsterdam-West had an employee who had been on sick leave for six months with stress-related complaints. The occupational doctor confirmed the complaints, but the employer received signals that the employee was meanwhile starting their own catering business.

After a confidential intake, we set up a targeted investigation. Through observation and digital research (open sources, social media, Chamber of Commerce registrations), we were able to establish that the employee was indeed active as an entrepreneur. The report formed the basis for a successful employment termination request at the subdistrict court.

Why engage a specialist in Amsterdam specifically?

Amsterdam is a large, dynamic city. An employee who is “home sick” may in reality be active at the Albert Cuyp market, in a co-working space on the Zuidas, or at a competitor in Amstel III. The anonymity of a large city makes it difficult for employers to verify signals themselves.

We know Amsterdam inside out. We know where to look, how to move inconspicuously, and how to gather evidence that holds up before the Amsterdam subdistrict court.

What does a sick leave investigation deliver?

• A factual report with observation records, visual evidence, and a timeline
• Legally admissible evidence for dismissal proceedings or salary suspension
• Clarity — so that you as an employer can act rather than continue to doubt

Suspect sick leave fraud in your Amsterdam business? Contact us

Contact SAJ Recherche in confidence. Call or WhatsApp: +31 20 782 3222.