SZW Labour Inspector

The organisation

The RCN Unit for Social Affairs and Employment (Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid, SZW) falls directly under the ministry of the same name in The Hague. The SZW unit’s task is to ensure safe, healthy and fair work situations and to monitor these. The unit also pays out social security benefits on behalf of the ministry in order to contribute to the social and economic security of senior citizens, parents and people who are temporarily unable to work because they are, for example, sick or pregnant. A social relief benefit is also available to ensure the social and economic security of residents who are experiencing a financial emergency. The SZW unit’s aim is to achieve a decent standard of living for everybody in the Caribbean Netherlands.

Job description

The Labour Inspectorate checks whether employers and employees comply with the laws relating to healthy, safe and honest work on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. Inspections are carried out in order to promote compliance with the law and enforcement is ensured through measures imposed under administrative and criminal law. Another of the Labour Inspectorate’s tasks is to raise awareness among employers and employees.

As a Labour Inspector your role is to visit companies. You check working conditions which are related to honest, healthy and safe work and everyone’s social and economic security. If necessary, you enforce the law. You inform employers and employees about, among other things, safety at work. Regular travel to Saba and St. Eustatius is required in order to perform your duties.

Duties

• You will monitor businesses in the Caribbean Netherlands and check compliance with legislation governing safe and healthy working conditions and employee work and break times, as well as the Foreign Nationals (Employment) Act (Wet arbeid vreemdelingen).
• You will work to prevent labour market fraud, such as illegal employment, failure to pay the minimum wage, labour exploitation and misuse of the benefits system.
• You will visit companies and/or construction locations to conduct inspections.
• You will raise awareness and provide information to employers and employees in the field of honest, healthy and safe work.
• You will carry out investigations as a result of any complaints from employees and reports of serious work-related accidents.
• If applicable you will draw up official reports for companies and, where necessary, issue them to employees who fail to comply with the legislation.
• You will draw up reports on findings relating to serious hazards and the suspension of business operations or work activities.
• In the context of monitoring and enforcement at operational level you will work closely with, for example, the (Foreigners) Police, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (Imigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst, IND), the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Koninklijke Marechaussee, KMar), the Tax and Customs Administration (Douane/Belastingdienst) and the Public Entities’ supervision/enforcement units.
• You have what it takes to organise multidisciplinary initiatives.

Job requirements

• You preferably have a technical and/or safety-related qualification at higher vocational education (HBO) level, or a demonstrable higher vocational education level of professional and intellectual ability.
• You have at least 1 to 3 years of relevant work experience and have an Extraordinary Police Officer (Buitengewoon Agent van Politie, BavPol BES) diploma, or are prepared to obtain one.
• You have knowledge of the legislation (and relevant legal procedures) relating to safety at work, working hours and conditions, the minimum wage and work permits.
• You are familiar with (working in) the Caribbean Netherlands region.
• You are proficient at carrying out checks, performing investigations and drawing up (official) reports.
• You have a good written and spoken command of Dutch and you speak good Papiamento, English and Spanish.

Competencies

• Integrity.
• The ability to form opinions.
• The ability to cope with stress.
• Good powers of persuasion.
• Good planning and organisational skills.
• Good communication skills.
• A capacity for analytical thought.
• The ability to show initiative.

What do we offer?

• An appointment in conformity with the Rechstpositiebesluit Ambtenaren BES (BES Legal Status of Civil Servants Decree);
• A salary in line with the market, in initial salary scale 8 and salary scale 9 a gross monthly salary between a minimum of $2.892,- and a maximum of $4.418,- based on a work week of 36 hours. A pay grade based on knowledge and experience;
• A holiday pay (8.33% of the gross monthly income);
• A13^th month (8.33% of the annual income);
• Vitality allowance;
• A pension plan administered by Pensioenfonds Caribisch Nederland (PCN);
• 182 holiday hours based on a work week of 36 hours;
• A temporary appointment of one year with the prospect of a permanent appointment in case of good performance and a positive appraisal;
• A relocation scheme for applicants not living in the island.

Procedure

An assessment, case and/or reference check may be part of the procedure.
The following order will be considered in the selection process:

• Official RCN staff on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (internal);

• Residents of the Caribbean part of the Netherlands (external);
• Other candidates (external);

Terms of appointment

• A Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG);
• Medical examination regarding mandatory registration with the pension fund (with a personal contribution);
• Dutch citizenship.

Important information for interested applicants living outside the Caribbean Netherlands

• The salary is paid in American dollars, the official currency in the Caribbean Netherlands;
• The Caribbean Netherlands has its own tax regulations. Income above the tax-free allowance $21,956 in 2026 is taxed at 29.4% in the first bracket (up to an income of $53,198). A tax rate of 38.4% applies to the second bracket;
• You are or will become a resident of the Caribbean Netherlands.

More information?

For information about the job vacancy, please contact Sandra Martina, Team Leader Labour Inspectorate, via +599 7954782 or sandra.martina@rijksdienstcn.com.

Digital applications

You may send your curriculum vitae with cover letter to vacature@rijksdienstCN.com.