What does a conflict with your supervisor mean for you? And what are your rights and options?
Where people work, mistakes are made, disagreements occur, and discussions take place. However, when these issues persist, root causes are not addressed, or solutions prove ineffective, tensions can build up.
This can even lead to an employment conflict with your supervisor or manager. Especially for you as an employee, this causes considerable tension and raises many questions.
Will I lose my job? What are my rights? These are questions that often race through your mind.
In life it's give and take, and the same applies to the workplace. However, when you consistently feel overburdened, your interests are being overlooked, or you are being treated without proper respect, boundaries are being crossed.
An employment conflict with your supervisor or manager can have various causes. This leads to anger, sadness, and frustration.
When an employment conflict with your supervisor or manager is recognized in time and you sit down with the person concerned to discuss the pain points, a logical solution can often be reached that satisfies both parties.
In some cases, however, an employment conflict is so severe that this is no longer possible. A dispute often results in sick leave.
When an occupational physician determines that you are not ill, but temporarily unable to function in the current work situation due to the conflict, we speak of situational incapacity for work.
This often means that you and your employer will work with a mediator to resolve the conflict.
Under Dutch employment law, the employer generally remains obliged to continue paying your salary in this situation, provided you act reasonably and cooperate in finding a solution.
More about situational incapacityIt may also be that you develop a real medical or psychological condition due to the employment conflict with your supervisor or manager. Think of a heart attack or depression, for example.
In case of illness, in principle there is an obligation to continue paying wages for a maximum of two years. The amount (for example 70% or 100%) depends on legislation, collective labor agreements, and your employment contract.
Under Dutch law, the general rule is: no work, no wages. However, important exceptions include medical illness and situational incapacity for work, where salary continuation may apply.
As an employee in the Netherlands, you have more protection than you might think during a conflict with your supervisor or manager.
It may happen that your employer disagrees with the occupational physician's decision. In that case, an expert opinion can be requested from the UWV - the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency that handles employment-related benefits and disputes. Both the employee and employer can request this.
The UWV's decision carries significant weight. If you disagree with it, you may need to take the matter to the subdistrict court (kantonrechter), though further negotiation is often still possible.
However, this is something you want to avoid in case of an employment conflict. Legal proceedings cost a lot of money, take a long time, and will certainly not benefit the relationship between you.
Occupational physicians often advise workplace mediation in case of an employment conflict with your supervisor or manager. A mediator is neutral and aims to find an acceptable solution for both parties.
The mediator takes on a facilitating role - it's up to you and your supervisor to have deeper conversations and explore options together.
At LegalBacking, we guide you through the mediation process via video call, so your interests don't get overlooked and you're not alone.
Do you have an employment conflict with your supervisor or manager? At LegalBacking, you can come to us for guidance and legal assistance.
Contact usAt LegalBacking, we are fully on the side of the employee. We guide you through employment conflicts with your supervisor or manager and make sure you're not alone.
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