Change to the allowance for on-call and standby duties
Dutch universities offer some staff an additional allowance when they are instructed in writing to be on call or be physically present at work (see Article 3.26 of the CAO NU, the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities). The new CAO NU agreement includes changes to this allowance. These changes apply from 1 October 2026 and are relevant to non-academic staff up to and including salary scale 12.
The following has changed:
- On-call duty: the allowance will be €3 per hour.
- Standby duty (physically present): the allowance will be €10 per hour.
- Who is eligible? The allowance will now also apply to non-academic staff in salary scales 11 and 12.
The allowance is therefore a fixed hourly amount rather than a percentage of salary.
What does this mean for you?
As the new CAO has not yet been finalised, the new allowance cannot be included in the October salary payment. We expect the allowance to be processed and paid, possibly retroactively, by the end of December at the latest. Non-academic staff in salary scales below 11 can submit claims for these duties as usual through BAS InSite, under the ‘Expense claims’ tile, from 1 October 2026. This option is not yet available for staff in scales 11 and 12. An announcement will be posted on the website when this becomes available. From that point onwards, you will be able to claim allowances for on-call and standby duties already carried out, retroactively from 1 October 2026.
Please note:
- The allowance only applies to non-academic staff, and only if your line manager has instructed you in writing to be on call or be physically present (see Article 3.26 of CAO NU). It does not apply to overtime.
- For each duty, clearly state the type of duty (on-call or standby) and the start and end times.
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If you are required to work during a duty period, you can claim those hours as overtime, in addition to the allowance you receive for the on-call or standby duty itself.
Questions?
Contact your line manager or your HR adviser.