Administrative Law

Businesses that encounter an inspection, an enforcement measure, or an administrative fine from the Netherlands Labour Authority or another supervisory body require a specialist with thorough command of the procedures, policy rules, and case law involved.

Safiya Roble-van Deursen focuses her administrative law practice exclusively on administrative fines and enforcement. She represents businesses at every stage of an enforcement process: from the initial site visit and unannounced labour inspection, the hearing, and the penalty report, through the notice of intended fine imposition and the submission of views, the fine decision and the objection, the re-inspection and follow-up check, to the appeal before the administrative court and the higher appeal before the Administrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State. She also applies for interim relief to prevent the public disclosure of fines — so-called naming and shaming.

Her enforcement practice covers fines imposed under the Foreign Nationals Employment Act (WAV), the Minimum Wage Act (WML), the Working Hours Act (Atw), the Allocation of Workers by Intermediaries Act (Waadi), the WagwEU, and the Working Conditions Act. She also advises on hirer liability, chain liability, and Bibob proceedings. Staffing agencies, secondment companies, hospitality businesses, construction companies, cleaning companies, logistics companies, agricultural enterprises, and businesses employing foreign nationals face an elevated risk of Labour Authority inspections and the imposition of fines.

In addition to reactive representation in fine proceedings, Safiya provides proactive advice: compliance reviews, inspection preparedness, and the drafting of internal protocols to reduce the risk of fines. By ensuring that administration and business operations are in order in good time, businesses not only avoid a fine but also the considerably more severe consequences that come with a second offence.