Missing pay and working-time records brought a €315,000 fine and a two-month stoppage to a Hague transport company. In a separate case, a Rotterdam-area operator faced a possible fine of up to €120,000. Inspectors received too little information about driver pay.
Why this matters
Dutch minimum wage has been hourly since January 2024. For workers aged 21 and over, it reached €14.99 gross an hour on 1 July 2026. Payroll must record driving, loading, unloading, and waiting time. A stoppage stops route revenue. Leases, insurance, and wages still have to be paid.
Example
Start with one completed delivery. Link the customer order to the planner, vehicle, and driver. Compare the route and hours with the driver’s contract, payslip, and bank payment. Then review the subcontractor invoice. It records a payment between businesses. It may not identify the driver's employer, hours, or wage. That is a gap an inspector will ask about.
XTROVERSO tips
- Trace one completed route. Keep the customer order, planning, driver, vehicle, hours, contract, pay record, bank payment, and supplier invoice in one file.
- Compare hours across systems. Check payroll hours against dispatch, delivery, and tachograph records. Include loading, unloading, waiting, and work around the vehicle.
- Map every subcontractor. Record which business employs the driver, directs the work, keeps time records, and pays the wage.
- Assign one internal owner. Name someone who can collect and explain the full file. Do not rely only on a payroll provider or subcontractor.
- Test record retrieval. Choose recent drivers and busy weeks. Make sure payslips, hours, contracts, and payment evidence are available without rebuilding the file.
Need to check driver, pay, and subcontractor files? We can help find gaps before they interrupt your work
The data, sourcing, and analysis behind this article were conducted by Paolo Maria Pavan. AI was not used to identify sources, build the factual basis, or produce the analytical judgment contained here. AI was used only as a drafting aid. The final English text was personally reviewed, edited, and approved by Paolo Maria Pavan before publication.
References
- Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie — Rotterdams transportbedrijf weigert onderzoek
- Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie — Werkzaamheden Haags transportbedrijf twee maanden stilgelegd
- Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie — Boetes voor overtreding van de WML
- Rijksoverheid — Bedragen minimumloon 2026
- Ondernemersplein — Controles door inspecteurs van de overheid
- CBS — Vacatures naar bedrijfstak
