Sick During Vacation? How to Get Your Vacation Days Back (Netherlands)

There’s a very thin line between: “I’m finally relaxing on a beach somewhere” and “Why do I suddenly feel like I got hit by a truck?!”

When you didn’t take enough time to take a break (and/or have been overworking yourself…) usually right after you did take a break, your body realizes it’s safe enough to crash out.

And then the question hits:

👉 Do I just accept this and lose my vacation days?
👉 Or can I actually get them back?

Let’s clear this up without vague HR energy!

Are you entitled to get your vacation days back?

Short answer:
👉 Yes… BUT only if you handle it correctly. (*Kirsten tried to stay away from her beloved phrase: ‘it depends‘).

Under Dutch law, sick days during your holiday are not supposed to count as vacation days. Instead, they can be converted into sick leave. Which means:

👉 You may get those vacation hours back

What you must do (and where it often goes wrong)

This is the part people underestimate, because technically you have the right…
👉 but practically, you can lose it very easily.

1. Report sick immediately

Not “when you get back”. Not “after the weekend”, but

👉 Within 24 hours

Call or notify your employer the same way you would at home. This means: following up on company instructions such as – but not limited too – reporting into the HRIS-system, notifying your manager etc.

2. Get a doctor’s certificate

This is one of those situations where practical advice quietly turns into something that sounds like a legal obligation… but isn’t.

In the Netherlands, you’re not required to run to a doctor and get a medical note every time you’re sick. And that doesn’t suddenly change just because you’re on holiday somewhere sunny instead of at home.

So no, you are not legally required to visit a local doctor or obtain a medical certificate while abroad. BUT… (and this is where things usually get interesting), if you come back and say, “I was sick during my holiday,” while having:

not informed your employer
not kept any proof
and not documented anything

then don’t be surprised if that raises a few eyebrows.

That’s where the advice to visit a doctor or keep documentation actually comes from. Not because it’s mandatory, but because it makes your position a lot stronger if there’s any discussion later.

Think of it this way: you don’t need proof to be right… but without it, you’re starting the conversation at a disadvantage.

So the real takeaway is:

👉 You’re not required to gather evidence
👉 But you should be able to reasonably demonstrate that you were unfit for work if it comes up later

3. Stay reachable

This one surprises people the most, because after all, you are on a holiday AND on top of that, you are feeling sick as well.

👉 You must remain available for your employer
👉 And potentially the company doctor (bedrijfsarts)

Also:

👉 Share where you’re staying.

4. Be prepared for one uncomfortable truth

If you’re too sick to stay abroad…

👉 You may be expected to return home

Especially if recovery or reintegration requires it and even if your trip isn’t finished.

What happens to your vacation days?

If you did everything correctly:

👉 Sick days are registered as sick leave
👉 Not deducted from your vacation balance

This usually applies to:

👉 Statutory vacation days
👉 And often also extra (non-statutory) days (unless your CAO and/or contract says otherwise)

And your salary?

Good news:

👉 You are entitled to continued wage payment during illness

Just like if you were sick at home, but keep in mind:

👉 Some employers apply waiting days (wachtdagen)
(usually 1–2 days depending on your contract and again.. that damn CAO)

The mistake that costs people their days

Let’s make it real, because what we described so far, feels very theoretical.

Very common scenario:

You get sick on holiday and you think:

👉 “I’ll deal with this when I’m back”

So you:

Don’t report sick immediately
Don’t inform your employer properly

👉 Result:

Your employer simply registers those days as vacation.

And legally?

👉 That’s often correct.

Important details people forget

👉 Follow your company’s absence protocol; even abroad. This means: calling in sick in the HRIS system, notifying your manager and/or HR-contact.
👉 Report when you’re better again (yes, also during holiday).
👉 Keep everything documented. Please do note that ‘sick notes’ are not mandatory in Dutch law, BUT since sickness happened abroad, it could avoid a whole discussion on ‘when’ sickness actually happened.

And a fun (but slightly painful) insight though: getting sick on holiday often happens due to a sudden drop in stress hormones. Your body basically says: “Cool, we survived. Now we collapse.”

Final thought

Being sick on holiday sits in a weird grey zone:

You’re not working, but you’re also not “off” in the legal sense

Too relaxed about the rules → you lose your vacation days
Too strict → you’re managing admin from a hotel bed

And most issues start exactly here.

Struggling with this situation?

Because let’s be honest:

👉 “Do I really need to see a doctor here?”
👉 “What if I only feel sick for 2 days?”
👉 “What if my employer doesn’t believe me?”

These are the moments where things quietly go wrong.

If you’re unsure:

👉 Reach out before it becomes a discussion later

Clarity now saves you days later.