WBA: Employment relationship assessment tool
You want to hire a self-employed professional to do a job for you. Whether that is allowed depends on the employment relationship. Sometimes you need an employment contract. You can assess this using an online tool. This article explains how it works.
Why use the Assessing Employment Relationships Web Module?
The web module has been created to prevent false self-employment. Hiring a self-employed professional comes with rules. You must check if it is actually a situation of paid employment. For example, if the freelancer does not determine for themselves how and when they do the work. You and the contractor are responsible for preventing false self-employment. The rules on hiring self-employed professionals without staff are sometimes unclear. To clarify these rules, the government developed an anonymous, Dutch-language online questionnaire. This is called the Assessing Employment Relationships Web Module (Webmodule Beoordeling Arbeidsrelatie, WBA).
Who is the online tool for?
- Clients who want to commission work from a contractor in the Netherlands. The client's business is based in the Netherlands.
- The online tool is not for contractors or inbdustry or sector representatives, unless they act in the role of clients.
Results of the web module
Once you have answered the questions, you will get a result showing which employment relationship is likely to apply to your situation:
- you can have the work carried out outside the scope of an employment relationship. You can hire a self-employed person
- this constitutes an employment relationship. You may need an employment contract
- no assessment can be made based on the answers provided
No legal decision
The outcome of the online tool is only an indication, not a legal decision. You cannot make any legal claims based on the outcome. But the outcome can help you decide how to have the assignment carried out.
When does the web module not provide a solution?
In a number of situations, the web module does not provide a solution. In these situations, there is no point in starting the module:
- You enter into an agreement with a legal entity, such as a BV (private limited company).
- You are an intermediary.
- The contracting party is abroad.
Questions and support
If anything in the questionnaire is unclear, then see the frequently asked questions (in Dutch) for more information. You can also send an email to webmodule@minszw.nl.
Go to the WBA web module
Start the Dutch-language questionnaire
Do not close the online tool until you are finished
Keep in mind that you cannot save your answers in between questions. So, fill in the questions when you have enough time. If you cannot complete all the questions, leave the web page open. You can continue where you left off at a later time.