Employee Relations Advisor

EMEA Recruitment is working with an international business as they look to hire an Employee Relations Advisor for their site in Venlo.

The Employee Relations Advisor will be the subject matter expert for sickness absence, case management, and employee reintegration across the Netherlands. You will play a key role in ensuring compliance with Dutch employment legislation to support sustainable return-to-work outcomes.

Responsibilities of the Employee Relations:

• Manage end-to-end sickness absence and reintegration cases, ensuring compliance with Dutch employment law and Wet verbetering Poortwachter requirements
• Partner with managers, employees, occupational health providers, company doctors, and UWV to support effective return-to-work outcomes
• Provide expert guidance on absence management, long-term sickness, workplace accommodations, and employer obligations under Dutch legislation
• Monitor absence cases, legal milestones, and documentation to ensure compliance, accuracy, and timely case progression
• Analyse absence trends and implement preventative measures, wellbeing initiatives, and sustainable employability programmes to reduce absenteeism
• Collaborate with HR teams, managers, and Works Councils while maintaining GDPR compliance and confidentiality of employee health information

Experience required:

• Proven HR experience with significant responsibility for sickness absence management within the Netherlands
• Strong working knowledge of Dutch employment law, including Wet verbetering Poortwachter, WIA, UWV procedures, and employer obligations relating to sickness absence
• Experience managing complex long-term absence cases, reintegration programmes, and sensitive employee relations matters
• Experience working closely with occupational health providers (Arbodienst), company doctors, and external authorities
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing, coaching, and communication skills
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple cases and legal deadlines simultaneously
• Data-driven approach with experience analysing absence metrics and recommending strategies to improve attendance and employee wellbeing
• Fluent in Dutch and English, both written and spoken
• Experience working in an international, matrix, or multi-site environment and exposure to Works Council relations would be advantageous

EMEA Recruitment is committed to promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. We act as a neutral third party in the recruitment process, basing our candidate searches on skills and experience. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sex, relationship status, disability, race, religion/beliefs, or sexual orientation.