{"id":4825,"date":"2026-06-01T12:10:35","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T12:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arbeidsjurist-eindhoven.nl\/kennisbank\/vaststellingsovereenkomst-weigeren-toch-onderhandelen\/"},"modified":"2026-08-02T11:16:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T11:16:19","slug":"settlement-agreement-refuse-to-negotiate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arbeidsjurist-eindhoven.nl\/en\/kennisbank\/vaststellingsovereenkomst-weigeren-toch-onderhandelen\/","title":{"rendered":"How to refuse a settlement agreement and still negotiate"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Refusing a settlement agreement: is that allowed?<\/h2>\n

Your employer presents you with a settlement agreement, but the terms are not what you had expected. Bear in mind: you are never obliged to sign, and refusing is far from the end of the conversation. By deliberately refusing or pressing pause, you will in many cases improve your position at the negotiating table.<\/p>\n

Je mag altijd weigeren<\/h2>\n

A settlement agreement (VSO) is a bilateral agreement that only comes into existence if both parties consent. Your employer can never compel you to sign it. If you refuse, your employment contract simply continues as though no proposal had ever been put on the table. Your employer must then initiate a formal dismissal procedure through UWV or the subdistrict court and demonstrate a valid reason for dismissal. For many employers, this is a time-consuming and uncertain process, which in turn strengthens your position.<\/p>\n

Oefen je werkgever druk op je uit om snel te tekenen<\/a>? Dan is dat een signaal om extra alert te zijn. In de praktijk is \u00e9\u00e9n tot twee weken een redelijke termijn om het voorstel te bestuderen en juridisch advies in te winnen. Laat je niet opjagen door kunstmatige deadlines.<\/p>\n

Refusing as a starting point for negotiation<\/h2>\n

Een eerste VSO is zelden het definitieve bod. Werkgevers bieden bij een eerste voorstel bewust een pakket aan dat onder de wettelijke norm ligt, als openingszet in de onderhandeling. Door niet direct akkoord te gaan, geef je jezelf de ruimte om te kijken wat er w\u00e9l mogelijk is. In de praktijk leiden geweigerde VSO’s regelmatig tot heronderhandeling en betere voorwaarden.<\/p>\n

Almost all elements of a settlement agreement are open to discussion, as long as you and your employer are willing to enter into that conversation. Consider:<\/p>\n