
Maternity Rights in the Netherlands: What Every International Parent Needs to Know
From Dam Parenting by Dam Parenting Podcast
April 29, 2026 · 30 min · Season 2
About this episode
This episode discusses maternity rights in the Netherlands for international parents, featuring insights from an employment lawyer.
Are you pregnant in the Netherlands — and not sure what your rights at work actually are? You are not alone. This is the most asked-about topic in international parent communities, and in this episode we finally get it answered properly — by an employment lawyer. Eva sits down with Ferline van Laerhoven, founder of Fair Line Law and Dutch employment law specialist, who has spent a decade working with international companies and employees in the Netherlands. In this conversation they cover: → When you are legally required to tell your employer you're pregnant → Whether employers are allowed to ask if you're pregnant (even in a job interview) → Medical appointments and prenatal checks — are they paid time? → What workplace adjustments employers must legally provide → Night shifts, overtime and physically demanding work during pregnancy → Extra paid rest breaks — the legal right most people don't know they have → Sick leave during pregnancy: why it is treated differently, and why you get 100% → How sick leave interacts with maternity leave length → What happens after maternity leave ends if you're still unwell (including PPD/PPA) → The 16 weeks: how it splits, how it's applied for…
People in this episode
Host: Eva
Guest: Ferline van Laerhoven
Topics covered
- maternity rights
- employment law
- international parenting
- pregnancy
- workplace rights
- sick leave
- contract law
Keywords
- maternity leave
- pregnancy rights
- employment lawyer
- workplace adjustments
- sick leave
- contract renewal
- miscarriage laws
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Fair Line Law
Places: Netherlands, Amsterdam, Utrecht
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