How much does an employment law specialist cost?

That is a good question, and for many employees the biggest hurdle. "This is bound to be very expensive." I understand that: legal assistance costs money, and our packages also come at a serious price. But there is an important counterbalance: in 85% of cases, the employer reimburses the full legal costs. In almost all other cases, the employer pays at least a (substantial) part. In practice, you therefore usually pay little or nothing yourself.

No hourly rate, but fixed prices

At The Employment Desk, we work exclusively with fixed packages. You know in advance exactly what it will cost, and you agree to that before we start.

We deliberately do not work on an hourly-rate basis. With an hourly rate, you never know where you stand. Sometimes a case simply involves much more work than expected, and the bill rises. With a fixed price, that risk does not lie with you.

Our packages

All prices are exclusive of VAT.

• Settlement check: EUR 875. We review your documents, advise you on what the settlement agreement entails and whether anything is incorrect, and answer your questions. Afterwards, you know exactly what the value and the terms of your settlement are.
• Package 1, short negotiation: EUR 1,450. The settlement check plus a limited negotiation with your employer, one or two rounds back and forth. The aim: a (somewhat) better settlement on certain terms.
• Package 2, strong negotiation: EUR 1,950. The settlement check plus a full negotiation with your employer. You receive the Happy Exit guarantee: a substantially better settlement. If that is not achieved and your employer does not reimburse the costs in full, you pay the price of Package 1.
• Tailored: on request. For situations outside the settlement agreement packages, for example if you have received an improvement plan or have been summarily dismissed.

Why does a settlement check cost money?

Because it involves serious work. Your settlement agreement must be read and analysed, as must your employment contract and the other documents. Is the payment correct? Is your unemployment benefit safe? What does it mean for your bonus, your shares or your pension?

In addition, there is the communication with you. Employees often have many questions, and rightly so. Not only about the settlement agreement itself, but also about the next step in their career, or about their rights such as unemployment benefit. Answering all those questions properly takes time. A proper settlement check easily takes around four hours of work.

That is why a reimbursement of EUR 500 or EUR 750 including VAT, which you still sometimes see in a settlement agreement, is no longer realistic. Those are the amounts of fifteen years ago. That reimbursement is also negotiable. Read more in Who pays my legal costs in a settlement agreement?.

Jurist or advocaat: what is the difference in cost?

Law firms are generally more expensive, partly because of the rules of professional conduct, training requirements and costs associated with the legal profession. For a settlement agreement, you do not need an advocaat. More in Employment lawyer (advocaat) or employment law specialist (jurist): what is the difference?.

What does it deliver?

That is ultimately the most important question. A settlement check shows you where you stand: whether everything is correct, and where there is room. And there often is room. Except in the case of a good social plan, where terms have already been negotiated on your behalf, a settlement can in most cases be improved. Think of a higher payment, a later termination date or the lapse of your non-compete clause.

Compared with what a better settlement can deliver, the investment is small. Especially if your employer reimburses the costs.