What must you check as an employer before deploying a student, flexi or temp worker, and which citizen data should you consult

Taking on a student, flexi-jobber or temp worker looks straightforward at first glance. As the employer, though, the responsibility is squarely yours. Before the work starts, you have to confirm that the candidate meets every condition and consult the right citizen data (the official records held about a person): the hours a student worker has left, the NSSO (National Social Security Office) data for a flexi-jobber, the correct registration of previous employment, and the status the person is allowed to work under. Get one detail wrong at this stage and you risk incorrect social security contributions, a faulty Dimona declaration (the mandatory immediate employment declaration), lost benefits or even fines.

In this article, you'll find out which citizen data you're legally required to request as an employer, how to use the official online services to check whether an applicant is entitled to a student job or a flexi-job, and which precontractual data are essential for correct employment. You'll get a clear overview of every step, so you can be confident you're deploying someone under the right conditions, with no risk of errors or unexpected costs.

Which citizen data must you consult first?

Before employment starts, you must consult the citizen data that confirms whether an applicant qualifies for a student job, a flexi-job or a temp contract, so you can be sure the candidate meets all the conditions. It's what keeps errors out of the Dimona declaration and prevents incorrect social security contributions or problems with social rights.

For a student worker, start with the official online service Student@Work to see whether the student still has hours left within the annual limit of 650 hours. The records there show how many hours are already registered and how many remain. Skip this step and the student can automatically fall under ordinary social security contributions, which drives up both cost and paperwork.

For a flexi-jobber, use the "consult citizen data" application to check whether someone meets the conditions for a flexi-job. It gives you insight into the applicant's NSSO data, namely whether they worked at least 4/5 of a full-time schedule as an ordinary employee with one or more other employers during the third preceding quarter (T-3), and whether the flexi-job status can be applied correctly. That way you avoid discovering later that a candidate doesn't qualify after all, for instance because previous employment wasn't registered properly.

How to check if a student qualifies?

To check whether a student meets the conditions for student work, use the official Student@Work service. It gives you access to an applicant's data and shows at a glance how many of the 650 hours are already registered with the NSSO. From there you can confirm that the remaining hours add up and that student work still pays off, thanks to the lower social security contributions.

You also need to confirm that the student is genuinely enrolled in education. A certificate, or a login via itsme, is often enough. Some sectors add their own conditions or premiums, which means the employment contract has to be drawn up correctly and in line with the sectoral rules. Think of scale wages, seniority or full-time work in the past.

When a student works through a temp agency, the agency checks the basic conditions, but you as the employer remain responsible for verifying that every detail is correct, especially during busy peaks. Check too that the student isn't working under another status, such as a flexi-job or employment as a temp worker with ordinary social security contributions. When statuses overlap, extra conditions sometimes apply and the NSSO may count the student hours differently.

Follow these steps and you keep errors out of the Dimona, avoid incorrect employer contributions and steer clear of social security problems, so student work stays correct and advantageous.