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Personeelsvertegenwoordiging

Also known as: PVT, Employee Representation

HR ProcessesLast reviewed: 13 Apr 2026

The personeelsvertegenwoordiging (PVT) is the lighter elected staff body for Dutch employers with 10 to 49 employees, with limited consent and advisory rights.

Quick Answer

Quick Answer

The personeelsvertegenwoordiging (PVT) is the lighter elected staff body for Dutch employers with 10 to 49 employees, with limited consent and advisory rights.

The personeelsvertegenwoordiging (PVT) is a scaled-down form of employee representation for organisations with at least 10 but fewer than 50 employees. It becomes mandatory when a majority of staff requests it, and consists of at least three members elected by and from the workforce for a two-year term.

The PVT has consent rights on working hours, holiday schedules, and sickness absence policy, plus the right to be informed about the organisation and consulted on decisions affecting at least 25 percent of the workforce. These powers are narrower than those of an Ondernemingsraad but still give staff a formal voice on day-to-day HR policy.

Employers with fewer than 10 staff are not required to install a PVT, though they must still hold at least two staff meetings per year covering the state of the business. A well-run PVT eases the transition to a full OR once the company reaches 50 employees.

Sources

Related terms

Works Council · Arbodienst · Bedrijfsarts · P60 · Verzuimbeleid · Distributed Team

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