Rotterdam staffing agency ordered to pay €14,600 after misreading employee text
A Dordrecht worker will receive more than 14,600 euros after a Rotterdam staffing agency mistakenly assumed he had quit his job based on a single text message, AD reports.
In late January, the employee sent a message to his employer stating, “I’m going home.” The employer interpreted the message as a resignation and stopped his salary beginning in early February 2025. The employee disputed this action and took the case to court.
During the hearing, the employer presented a screenshot of the text message. The date was missing, and the context was unclear. Apart from a brief discussion about money and the note that he was leaving work, the message offered little evidence of an intent to resign.
The canton judge emphasized that an employer cannot assume an employee has resigned without confirmation. “An employer is expected to verify whether someone genuinely wants to leave and is aware of the consequences,” the ruling stated. The employer claimed that a confirmation letter had been sent, but it was never produced, and the judge expressed doubts about its existence.
The court concluded that there had never been a resignation. The Rotterdam staffing agency must pay the employee back pay, vacation allowances, accrued reserves, a transition allowance, and a fair compensation, including legal interest and court costs. The total payment is immediately enforceable and amounts to more than 14,600.
