Only for employees
Reorganization at Rabobank
Has Rabobank announced that your position is being eliminated, or have you received a dismissal proposal or departure arrangement?
Are you facing a reorganization at Rabobank? A structural change is putting roles under pressure, and the window to apply for the departure scheme is short. This page explains your position under Dutch employment law, also for highly skilled migrants and internationals working at Rabobank.
Does this apply to you?
- Your position is being eliminated
- You have been declared redundant
- You have received a departure arrangement
- A social plan applies
- You have received a settlement agreement
Why employees turn to ReorgLegal
ReorgLegal specialises in reorganizations and works solely for employees, never for employers. We assess your proposal and stand beside you.
Do not wait too long. Reorganizations often involve short response deadlines. Have a proposal assessed before you agree.
What is happening at Rabobank
Rabobank is carrying out a far-reaching change of course and structure, organizing itself more as one whole per region and less as separate local banks.
Positions under pressure
As across the whole banking sector, positions are under pressure from digitalization and cost saving. Unlike some other banks, Rabobank does not emphatically cite artificial intelligence as a reason.
What matters for you is above all what a reorganization concretely means for your position.
A social plan as a safety net
For employees who are affected, a social plan and a departure arrangement apply. These cover your support, your reassignment and your compensation, and provide for a contribution towards legal advice.
This page was last updated in July 2026; the facts shown apply as far as known at that time.
In brief
- Rabobank is changing its structure and centralizing decisions
- Positions are under pressure from digitalization and cost saving
- A social plan and a departure arrangement apply
- Redundant employees first receive reorientation and reassignment
- The application window for the departure scheme is short: do not decide in haste
- Have your situation assessed before you sign
Social plan and departure arrangement at Rabobank
Rabobank and the trade unions have extended the social plan and the departure arrangement. According to the unions these apply from 1 July 2025 through 30 June 2027, largely unchanged.
Watch the short application window
An important point: the period within which you can apply for the departure arrangement has been shortened from four to two weeks. So you have little time to decide.
Seek advice straight away, rather than waiting until the deadline has almost passed.
Room for additional arrangements
Depending on the content of the social plan and your personal situation, there may sometimes be room for additional arrangements, for example through a hardship clause or an individual arrangement.
Not sure whether the departure arrangement is favourable for you? Have it assessed before you agree.
Why acting quickly pays
- The application window for the departure scheme is short
- Early advice gives you time to negotiate
- You avoid signing under time pressure
- You can compare the arrangement with your own situation
Your rights in a reorganization
A reorganization at Rabobank takes place within the statutory framework of the economic-dismissal rules. On each of the points below you have more room to act than you might suspect.
Who is selected
Rabobank does not decide at its own discretion which employee becomes redundant. Once it is established which positions expire and which roles are interchangeable, the reflection principle in principle sets the order, subject to statutory exceptions such as indispensable employees.
Reassignment first
A dismissal can only arise once reassignment is not possible, not even within a reasonable period and, if needed, after retraining. If Rabobank does not examine this seriously, the UWV may refuse permission or a dismissal procedure may stall.
Your compensation
On termination at Rabobank's initiative there is usually a right to the statutory transition payment, unless the social plan offers a different or additional payment. The amount depends on the arrangement, your years of service and your salary; have the calculation assessed.
The settlement agreement
Your departure is recorded in a settlement agreement. Have the content and the consequences assessed before you sign, because afterwards the terms are fixed.
Rabobank's social plan in practice
At Rabobank, leaving is not the first step. The social plan strongly emphasizes reorientation, internal mobility and reassignment.
Reorientation and reassignment
If you become redundant, there is usually first a period of reorientation and support, aimed at finding other work. Through a mobility centre a suitable position is sought inside or outside the bank.
Only if reassignment does not succeed does departure come into view.
The place-maker arrangement
Rabobank also has a place-maker arrangement. Under it, an employee who is not redundant themselves leaves voluntarily, so that a redundant colleague can take over their position. Whether this is attractive for you depends on your situation.
Contribution towards legal costs
Rabobank's social plan provides for a contribution towards legal advice when assessing your settlement agreement. So have your agreement assessed; often this can be done at no cost to you.
Rabobank-specific terms
- Reorientation period with support
- Internal mobility and reassignment
- Voluntary departure scheme with a short application window
- Place-maker arrangement
- Contribution towards legal advice
Voluntary departure or redundancy?
Two situations are often confused, while your position differs materially between them.
Voluntary departure
With a voluntary departure you apply for the scheme and leave by mutual consent, usually through a settlement agreement. You are not obliged to accept, and there may be room to negotiate on the end date, a release from work and your compensation. With a correct agreement your right to unemployment benefit (WW) is in principle retained.
Redundancy
If you are declared redundant, your position has expired and you have been selected via the reflection principle. That does not mean your dismissal is a foregone conclusion. A flaw in the reflection principle or the reassignment can strengthen your negotiating position.
Every situation is different. An individual assessment can show whether your employer is applying the rules correctly. Have your situation assessed.
What you can expect from us
- We assess how the social plan works out for your situation
- We check the reflection principle, the reassignment and the mobility phase
- We verify whether your compensation and the other terms are correct
- We monitor the short application window together with you
- We represent only your interest as an employee, not that of the bank
What you can do now
If you are affected by a reorganization at Rabobank or are presented with a departure arrangement, take the steps below. Because the deadlines are short, it is better not to wait.
- Ask for the social plan, the departure arrangement and your proposal in writing
- Watch the application window and seek advice in good time
- Check whether the reorientation, the reassignment and the reflection principle are correct
- Check the calculation of your compensation
- Do not sign a settlement agreement without having it assessed
Have you received a dismissal proposal or settlement agreement? Send it to us for assessment before you make a final decision.
When is it wise to contact us?
- You have received a settlement agreement or departure proposal
- Your position is being eliminated
- You have been declared redundant
- You are unsure whether the compensation is correct
- Your response deadline is approaching
Frequently asked questions
These are questions that Rabobank employees put to us in practice.
Have you received a dismissal proposal or a settlement agreement? Put it to us before you respond.
How much time do I have for the departure scheme?
The application window is short, shorter than before. So seek advice as early as possible.
Does Rabobank cover my legal costs?
Rabobank's social plan provides for a contribution towards legal advice when assessing your settlement agreement.
Do I keep my WW if I leave voluntarily?
With a correct settlement agreement, with a neutral ground and the initiative with Rabobank, your WW is in principle retained.
What if I am declared redundant?
Redundancy is an interim step, not a settled dismissal. Reorientation and reassignment come first, and dismissal is only possible once reassignment fails; a flaw in the reflection principle or the reassignment can strengthen your position.
Received a settlement agreement? Get a free review.
Upload your agreement and we will assess your situation, free and without obligation. On business days we respond within 1 hour. Your legal fees are usually covered by your employer.
Start free review