Know what you are entitled to

Is it about now or later? Many people in contract catering are considering early retirement. Have you been working in the sector for 15 years or more? Then this is important for you. New situation from 2026 The RVU scheme (Early Retirement Scheme) ended on 31 December 2025. As a result, you were unable to apply. Good news: there is a new RVU scheme. It is expected that you can apply again from 1 April 2026. What is changing? The new scheme will have different conditions. An important condition is that you have a physically demanding job. There is a list of physically demanding jobs Is your job not on the list? You may still be eligible Always discuss this with your employer Your employer can substantiate an application. This will then be assessed. Who is the scheme for? The scheme is intended for employees who: have a physically demanding job have worked in contract catering for at least 15 years were born between 1 February 1962 and 30 September 1964 are a maximum of 36 months away from their state pension age (shorter is also allowed) When can you apply? You can apply: at least 3 months in advance at most 4 months in advance Example:Do you want to stop between 1 May and 31 July 2026? Then you must submit your application by 1 April 2026 at the latest. Note! Only submit an application when it is possible again Do not resign from your job without confirmation You will first receive an official letter if your application is approved How much will you receive? The benefit is a maximum of: €28,284 gross per year (2026) approximately €2,357 gross per month Do you work part-time? Then you will receive a portion of this amount. Important to know You stop working completely You no longer build up a pension You do not receive holiday pay Working alongside the benefit is not allowed Unsure? Do the check Do you want to know if early retirement is for you? Ask yourself these questions: Are you within 3 years of your state pension age? Do you have a physically demanding job? Have you been working in the sector for 15 years or more? Did you answer everything with 'yes'? Then you may be eligible. Stay informed The new scheme is currently being worked on. As soon as more is known, you will hear about it immediately. Visit the website Ietsvoorjou.nu and discover all the information about the RVU scheme.

Do you work in hospitality and have a colleague who speaks a language other than Dutch? Or have you come to work in the Netherlands from abroad? Then we are curious about your experience! We invite you to participate in a study by De Horecabond on this topic and share your experience with us. How does it work in practice? What works well and what could be improved? With your answers, we can better support employees in hospitality. This study is being conducted by independent research agency Kien research on behalf of De Horecabond, among both members and non-members. Your answers are anonymous. Practical information about the study: Duration: approximately 5 minutes Start the questionnaire: click here Your colleagues can also help. Do you work with colleagues who speak other languages? Then forward this link to the questionnaire.

In the catering sector, we are not standing still. It may seem that way because the news sometimes takes a while to arrive. That's why we would like to share what has happened since the new year. The CLA parties, including us, are currently working on the new CLA texts. That may sound simple, but every change must be carefully coordinated between the different parties. In addition to these tasks, we answer questions from members, visit companies, and prepare for new discussions with employers. In the negotiation result, it was agreed that we would sit down together again as soon as possible in the new year. These discussions will focus on the future of the CLA catering. We will also discuss the proposed transition of some employers to the CLA hospitality and how we can continue to safeguard the Updates working conditions for employees. You might be thinking: it's already mid-March. That's correct. Therefore, we have already invited employers to start the discussions shortly. Many employers have already responded, and we are now scheduling the first meetings. Fortunately, in previous rounds of talks, we have already discussed wishes and expectations for 2027. So, we are not starting entirely from scratch. In the coming period, we expect to be able to tell you more about the progress. We will do this through our online channels, but also by visiting the workplace. Do you and your colleagues need an explanation at your workplace? Please feel free to invite us via bestuurders@dehorecabond.nl. See you soon! Regards,  Annemieke Jacobs Union officer catering and recreation