You have enjoyed working at different companies for years, you are appreciated for your knowledge and you are completely part of it. And then suddenly the collaboration stops because of the False Self-Employment Act, officially the DBA Act (Deregulation Assessment of Labor Relations).
There are no exact figures, but since we started working on this subject, it quickly became clear that hundreds of freelancers in various sectors in Amsterdam have less work due to the consequences of the new rules. In an app group with hundreds of people working in the media, the participants couldn’t stop talking about the unpleasant consequences of the new law.
No more work
Especially the difference between how it was and how it is now creates complicated situations. “I have always worked as a flying keeper in the media in many different places, but now that is actually impossible anymore, it is really very unclear, I have the feeling that clients often do not know it themselves and therefore do not schedule us.”
And that freelancers would prefer to continue as self-employed, but because there is much less work, they still think about a contract. “I notice that assignments are often ‘delivered’ quite late, in the past there was much more clarity. I keep in mind that things may come to a standstill later, then I will have to go into employment. And I think I am not the only one.”
Someone who has been working as a freelancer in the media for years says that his employer had agreed to use him during illness or holiday. Yet that has not happened yet this year. Another freelancer adds: “I was kicked out of the organization when I wanted to discuss new workable constructions. My experience is that as a freelancer you often accept special agreements without knowing exactly what they mean. If you say something about it, you run the risk of not being hired again.”
Inexperienced permanent employees
A freelance nurse also recognizes this problem. “In the past, my schedule was quickly filled, with work closer to home. Now that is different: sometimes I only know two weeks in advance whether I have work. That makes it much more uncertain.”
Amsterdam school boards have decided to no longer hire self-employed people because of the new rules, and that is worrying, says a teacher. According to him, the policy is counterproductive. “In practice, schools cannot do without flexible workers. That is why they still hire teachers through agencies. As a result, inexperienced permanent workers are sometimes used, which is at the expense of quality.”