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Understand · Payroll glossary

What is a contract staff member?

Updated on

A contract staff member is a public sector employee hired on an employment contract, as in the private sector. In 2026: 13.07% (employee contributions of a contract staff member, as in the private sector). In Dutch: contractueel personeelslid.

Definition of a contract staff member

They pay the usual social security contributions of 13.07% and can receive the work bonus. Their salary often follows the same scales as that of statutory staff, but their net pay differs because of the contributions.

They pay unemployment contributions and their pension is calculated under the employees’ scheme.

The key figure in 2026

13.07%Employee contributions of a contract staff member, as in the private sector

Source: Instructions administratives : les cotisations de sécurité sociale, National Social Security Office (NSSO). Value in force on 1 October 2026.

Worked example

At €2,500 gross, the contract staff member pays only €81.03 in contributions thanks to the work bonus, against €276.25 in deductions for a statutory civil servant: they take home €2,175.62 net, against €1,947.24.

In Dutch: contractueel personeelslid

On a Dutch-language payslip or HR document, a contract staff member is called ‘contractueel personeelslid’; on a French-language one, ‘agent contractuel’.

Dutch term taken from: CSC/ACV (secondary source).

Not to be confused with…

  • Statutory civil servant: a permanently appointed public sector employee: their status is set by regulations, not by an employment contract.

Calculate it for your situation

Statutory or contract staff: net pay, gross for gross, holiday pay, the end-of-year allowance and the pension.

Civil servant

Related terms

Sources

Parameters in force on 1 October 2026. Each parameter links to its source, the official one where it exists; a secondary source is flagged as such.