{"id":4998,"date":"2026-06-13T09:56:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T09:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arbeidsjurist-eindhoven.nl\/?p=4998"},"modified":"2026-08-02T09:04:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T09:04:28","slug":"reflection-principle-versus-seniority-principle-dismissal-eindhoven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arbeidsjurist-eindhoven.nl\/en\/kennisbank\/afspiegelingsbeginsel-versus-ancienniteitsbeginsel-ontslag-eindhoven\/","title":{"rendered":"The Proportional Representation Principle or Seniority Principle: Which applies to redundancies in Eindhoven?"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Reflection principle or seniority principle?<\/h2>\n

What is the difference between the reflection principle and the seniority principle in a reorganisation? We explain both terms below.<\/p>\n

Afspiegelingsbeginsel of anci\u00ebnniteitsbeginsel: wat geldt er nu? Wordt jouw bedrijf in Eindhoven of de Brainportregio geconfronteerd met een reorganisatie en vraag je je af op basis waarvan jouw werkgever bepaalt wie er moet vertrekken? Het Reflection principle<\/a> is daarvoor in Nederland de wettelijk verplichte methode en heeft het vroegere anci\u00ebnniteitsbeginsel al lange tijd vervangen. Toch leven er over beide begrippen nog veel misverstanden, en die kunnen je rechtspositie raken.<\/p>\n

From seniority to the reflection principle<\/h2>\n

Tot 2006 bepaalde het zogenoemde anci\u00ebnniteitsbeginsel de volgorde bij collectief ontslag. Die methode was simpel: werknemers die het kortst in dienst waren, kwamen als eerste voor ontslag in aanmerking. Dit principe staat ook wel bekend als ‘last in, first out’. Het nadeel was dat jongere medewerkers structureel de dupe werden, ongeacht hun leeftijdsgroep of evenredige bijdrage aan het bedrijf.<\/p>\n

Since 1 March 2006, the reflection principle has replaced this system. Its central aim has been to keep the age composition within a job category as equal as possible before and after a round of dismissals. This counteracted arbitrary treatment based on age, but the system also became considerably more complex at the same time.<\/p>\n

How the reflection principle works in practice<\/h2>\n

Bij een reorganisatie waarbij arbeidsplaatsen vervallen, kijkt jouw werkgever eerst of er externe krachten werken in de betreffende functiegroep. Uitzendkrachten, zzp’ers en andere ingehuurde medewerkers gaan als eerste weg, gevolgd door AOW-gerechtigde werknemers en mensen met een tijdelijk contract dat uiterlijk 26 weken na de UWV-beslissing afloopt. Pas daarna worden vaste medewerkers in de afspiegeling betrokken.<\/p>\n

All employees in a category of interchangeable roles are then divided into five age groups: 15\u201325 years, 25\u201335 years, 35\u201345 years, 45\u201355 years, and 55 years and over. For each age group, a calculation is made of how many employees must go in order to maintain the proportion. Within each age group, a remnant of the old principle then applies: the employee with the shortest length of service is the first to be considered. Seniority therefore still plays a role, but only as a tiebreaker within<\/em> an age group, not as the sole criterion.<\/p>\n

Interchangeable and unique roles<\/h2>\n

The reflection principle applies exclusively to interchangeable roles. Roles are interchangeable if they are comparable in terms of content, required knowledge and competencies, level, and remuneration. If your role has a unique character \u2014 meaning that you are the only person carrying out these duties \u2014 your position is automatically eliminated as soon as that role disappears. In that case, no reflection process is required at all. This is an important distinction that regularly gives rise to dispute in practice.<\/p>\n

When your employer is permitted to deviate<\/h2>\n

The law provides for a limited number of situations in which strict application of the reflection principle may be set aside. Please note: these exceptions are subject to strict conditions and must always be properly substantiated to the UWV.<\/p>\n