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Sick Employee Investigation
Absence Expert

Sick Employee Investigation

Doubt an employee's sick leave? We investigate discreetly, deliver the evidence and guide you through dismissal or wage sanctions. Licensed investigators for employers.

  • ✓ Licensed (POB 8779)
  • ✓ 24-hour response
  • ✓ Evidence for dismissal & UWV
Report your case Call +31 20 782 3222
0 Annual savings
0 Response time
0 POB licence
0 Confidential

AbsenceSafe Investigation

Employee sick but you don't trust it? We give you the facts.

Long-term sick leave easily costs an employer EUR 250 to EUR 400 per day — or more than EUR 3,000 per month. Nationally, this amounts to EUR 13.3 billion per year in continued salary payments during absence. But what if the employee is not really sick? In a recent case in Groningen, we discovered that an installer who had been on sick leave for six months with back complaints was working full-time as a roofer for a construction company. The employer was paying EUR 3,000 per month — that is EUR 36,000 per year. With our evidence dossier, the employer could take immediate action. We investigate discreetly, deliver legally substantiated evidence and guide you through dismissal or wage sanctions.

What we investigate

Physical surveillance

Multi-day, WPBR-compliant surveillance of the sick-listed employee. We document activities with photographic and video evidence: gym visits, construction work, side jobs or other behaviour that does not match the reported complaints. Everything is recorded chronologically.

Social media & OSINT analysis

We analyse publicly available social media activity, online profiles and digital footprints. Posts about holidays, sporting activities or side jobs while someone is supposed to be at home sick — we find it and record it forensically.

Digital forensic investigation

Analysis of log files, access logs and business systems to establish whether the employee has been active at times inconsistent with their reported illness. We use forensic methods that guarantee the integrity of all evidence collected.

Tracing side employment

We investigate whether the sick-listed employee is working elsewhere — at a competing company, as a freelancer or off the books. This is a common form of sick leave fraud and provides direct grounds for summary dismissal (Dutch Civil Code 7:678).

Evidence dossier for dismissal

A legally substantiated report that meets the requirements of Dutch Civil Code art. 7:629 paragraph 3 (wage suspension) and art. 7:678 (urgent cause for dismissal). The dossier contains a chronological evidence overview with visual material and is directly admissible at the sub-district court and UWV.

Confrontation meeting support

We prepare you for the confrontation meeting with the employee and can attend if required. We also advise on wage sanctions, dismissal and the possibility of recovering investigation costs and continued salary payments through civil proceedings.

Stop paying for sick leave fraud

Report your case and start the investigation within 24 hours. Initial consultation is free.

Report your case 020-782 3222

Behavioural signs

Warning signs in your employee

  • Social media activity inconsistent with reported complaints
  • Consistently unreachable for occupational physician or employer
  • Spotted at another company or on a job site
  • Pattern-based absence (Mondays, around holidays, after conflicts)
  • Refusal to cooperate with reintegration or adapted work
  • Car consistently absent from home during the day

Administrative signs

Warning signs in your organisation

  • Absence costs rising without visible improvement
  • Occupational physician finds nothing but employee remains sick
  • Reintegration obligations consistently not met
  • Colleagues report activities inconsistent with illness
  • Rising sick leave percentage in one specific department
  • Employee avoids all contact about returning to work

How we work

1

Confidential intake

Discuss the warning signs with us in a no-obligation, free initial consultation. We assess proportionality (GDPR), evaluate the situation and draw up an investigation plan. Not every suspicion justifies investigation — we advise you honestly.

2

Covert investigation

Surveillance, social media analysis and digital forensic investigation — without the employee noticing. We provide interim reports so you are always informed of the progress.

3

Evidence dossier

All findings are compiled into a legally substantiated report with a chronological evidence overview and visual material. This dossier meets the requirements for wage suspension (Dutch Civil Code 7:629) and summary dismissal (Dutch Civil Code 7:678).

4

Guidance & support

Support with the confrontation meeting, wage sanctions, filing a police report and advice on cost recovery. If required, we refer you to our legal partner for legal assistance.

AbsenceSafe packages

Choose your investigation package

Three levels of investigation. Every package delivers a professional evidence dossier.

Quick Scan

€495
  • Social media & OSINT analysis
  • Risk assessment
  • Warning sign inventory
  • Advisory report with recommendations
  • Delivery: 5 working days
Request Quick Scan

Surveillance

€995
  • Everything in Quick Scan
  • Physical surveillance (3 days)
  • Photo & video evidence
  • Full evidence dossier
  • Confrontation meeting support
  • Delivery: 5–10 working days
Request Surveillance
Most chosen

Complete

€1,895
  • Everything in Surveillance
  • Legal dossier for sub-district court
  • Police report accompaniment
  • HR advice on prevention & policy
  • Legal partner referral
  • Priority delivery: 3–5 working days
Request Complete

All prices exclude VAT. For comparison: one month of continued salary during absence easily costs EUR 3,000+.

Legal recognition and licences

Logo Dutch Government - Ministry of Justice and Security
Ministry of Justice · POB licence 8779
Logo Dutch Data Protection Authority
GDPR-compliant · Data Protection Authority
Logo Dutch National Police
Police-screened
DPIA - Data Protection Impact Assessment
DPIA-compliant

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a sick employee placed under surveillance?
Yes, provided there is a reasonable suspicion of fraud and the investigation is proportional. The GDPR requires a legitimate interest on the part of the employer. We assess this during the intake and advise you on the legal framework before the investigation starts. Not every gut feeling is sufficient — we are honest if investigation is not justified.
Is the evidence dossier admissible for dismissal?
Yes. Our report is specifically drafted to meet the requirements of Dutch Civil Code art. 7:678 (urgent cause for summary dismissal) and art. 7:629 paragraph 3 (wage suspension for non-compliance with control regulations). The dossier is directly admissible at the sub-district court and UWV.
What if the employee turns out to be genuinely sick?
Then we close the investigation and report that no irregularities were found. The employee is not informed about the investigation. You then have certainty that the absence is legitimate and can focus on reintegration.
How quickly can you start?
In urgent situations — such as suspecting the employee is currently working elsewhere — we start within 24 hours. Regular cases typically begin within 48 hours of the intake. Speed is important because behavioural patterns can change.
What does a sick leave investigation cost?
From EUR 495 for a Quick Scan (OSINT and risk assessment) to EUR 1,895 for a full investigation with confrontation support. After the intake, you receive a clear quotation with no surprises. All prices exclude VAT. For comparison: one month of continued salary payments easily costs EUR 3,000 or more.
Can I recover the investigation costs from the employee?
In cases of proven sick leave fraud, yes. The investigation costs and unjustly continued salary payments can be claimed as damages in civil proceedings against the employee. Our detailed report serves as substantiation of the losses incurred.
What if the occupational physician finds nothing?
The occupational physician only assesses the medical situation and has a duty of confidentiality. An investigator examines the employee's actual behaviour: what are they doing during the day? That is a fundamentally different perspective. Both can coexist.

Report your case

Start your sick leave investigation

Direct contact

Delivery times

  • Quick Scan5 working days
  • Surveillance5–10 working days
  • Complete3–5 working days

Proven results

At an installation company in Groningen, we discovered an employee who had been on sick leave for six months with back complaints was working full-time as a roofer. The employer saved €36,000/year in unjustified continued salary payments.