Arbeidsvoorwaarden en beloning • 11 MIN. LEESTIJD
15 soorten verlof in HR die elke manager moet kennen
MAY 2, 2026
From maternity leave to bereavement and everything in between, here is a comprehensive guide to the types of employee leave HR must manage.
Wettelijk verlof: de ononderhandelbare basis
Wettelijk verlof is door de wet voorgeschreven en kan niet uit arbeidsovereenkomsten worden uitgesloten. In het VK omvat dit: jaarlijks verlof (5.6 weken), zwangerschapsverlof (tot 52 weken), vaderschapsverlof (tot 2 weken), gedeeld ouderschapsverlof (tot 50 weken tussen ouders), adoptieverlof, rouwverlof voor ouders (2 weken bij het overlijden van een kind onder 18 of een doodgeboorte na 24 weken), en onbetaald ouderschapsverlof (18 weken per kind, tot 4 weken per jaar). Verlof voor mantelzorgers (één week onbetaald per jaar) werd toegevoegd vanaf april 2024.
Uitgebreid verlof: verder gaan dan het minimum
Many employers choose to enhance statutory leave with more generous terms: full pay during maternity leave rather than just statutory maternity pay, extended paternity leave of four weeks, or additional parental bereavement leave. Enhanced leave policies are a powerful recruitment and retention tool, particularly for roles where dual-income households are common. They also signal that the organisation genuinely supports working parents rather than simply complying with the minimum.
Discretionaire verlofvormen
Beyond statutory entitlements, organisations often offer additional leave types on a discretionary basis: compassionate leave for the death of a close friend or colleague, study leave for employees undertaking professional qualifications, volunteer leave for charity work, fertility treatment leave, and leave for public duties such as jury service or reserve forces service. Document each discretionary leave type clearly in your policy, including eligibility, duration, and whether it is paid or unpaid.
Verlofaanvragen consistent beheren
With so many leave types in play, consistency is paramount. Use a single HRIS to record all leave types with the correct statutory or contractual terms applied automatically. Train managers to recognise the different types of leave and to refer complex requests to HR rather than improvising. An employee who is denied bereavement leave because their manager did not know it existed is likely to raise a grievance that will cost far more in management time than the leave itself.
