The Equal Treatment of Disabled and Chronically Ill Persons Act 2003 (Wet gelijke behandeling op grond van handicap of chronische ziekte, Art. 2) covers all public and private employers in the Netherlands, without a size threshold. It prohibits discrimination based on disability or chronic illness. For this purpose, “disability” includes long-term physical, mental or intellectual impairments that substantially limit day-to-day activities. The term “workplace adjustments” refers to any modification to tasks, working hours, equipment or the physical environment that helps an employee perform their role.
Under Article 3 of the Act, employers must discuss and implement reasonable changes to remove barriers for employees with disabilities or chronic illnesses. Common workplace adjustments include flexible start and end times, task redistribution, ergonomic office equipment, assistive software and ramps or lifts. Employers are expected to engage in a good-faith dialogue once an employee indicates a need for adjustments.
There is no fixed form or statutory deadline for requesting workplace adjustments—employees may make a verbal or written request. Employers should ask for medical documentation only to the extent necessary to understand functional limitations. While the law does not specify response times, best practice is to acknowledge requests immediately and set a two-week window for an initial proposal or status update.
An employee who believes their request has been unfairly denied can file a complaint free of charge with the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (College voor de Rechten van de Mens). Though the Institute’s opinions are not legally binding, they carry significant persuasive authority. If mediation fails, the matter can proceed to civil court, where remedies may include implementation orders, back pay and compensation for non-material damages.
Managing workplace adjustments requests under Equal Treatment of Disabled and Chronically Ill Persons Act 2003 can be complex—multiple forms, strict timelines, and cross-team coordination all add burden.
Disclo centralizes every case in one dashboard:
Ready to streamline your Netherlands workplace adjustments workflow? Request a demo today.
Train managers on recognizing early signs of work limitations and respectful communication.
Keep a secure, centralized log of all requests, responses and follow-up actions.
Involve the employee in brainstorming solutions rather than imposing fixes unilaterally.
Limit medical inquiries to what’s strictly necessary to understand the disability, to maintain privacy.
