EU Posted Workers Directive — what hospitality businesses need to know

2026-09-12 — Stafflab

If your restaurant is working with a staffing agency that sends chefs or other culinary professionals from another EU country, you are operating within the framework of the EU Posted Workers Directive. Understanding the basics protects you legally and helps you work more effectively with your staffing partner. This guide covers the key rules without the legal boilerplate.

What is the Posted Workers Directive (2018/957/EU)?

The Posted Workers Directive (PWD) governs the terms and conditions that must apply when a worker is temporarily sent by their employer to work in another EU member state. The 2018 revision (Directive 2018/957/EU, amending the original 1996 directive) strengthened the equal-pay principle and introduced a maximum posting duration of 12 months (extendable to 18 months with notification).

For your restaurant, the practical consequence is simple: a chef posted to you by Stafflab from Poland must receive at least the same core employment conditions — including pay — that apply to locally employed chefs in your country. Stafflab, as the employing entity, is responsible for ensuring this compliance.

The A1 certificate — what it is and why it matters

An A1 certificate (formally a "Certificate of Coverage") is a document issued by the social security authority of the worker's home country confirming that the worker remains covered by the home country's social security system during the posting. Without an A1, the worker could be treated as socially insured in the host country — triggering local employer social contributions that you, as the client, could be held liable for.

Host-country notifications — country by country

Every EU member state requires advance notification when posted workers arrive. The notification is always filed by the sending employer (Stafflab), but as the host business you should know what system applies in your country:

Stafflab files all notifications as part of the standard service. You do not need to register anything yourself — but you should confirm with us that the notification reference number has been issued before the chef's first day.

The equal-pay principle — what it means in practice

Under the revised PWD, posted workers are entitled to the same remuneration as comparable locally employed workers — including bonuses, allowances, and supplements mandated by collective agreements. In the Netherlands, the applicable collective agreement is the CAO Horeca. Stafflab monitors the applicable rates and adjusts posted worker pay accordingly. You do not manage payroll, but you can ask us to confirm that the worker's pay complies with the applicable local minimum at any time.

What Stafflab handles vs what you need to do

Conclusion

The Posted Workers Directive creates a clear framework for cross-border staffing. For your restaurant, the compliance burden is minimal — the sending employer (Stafflab) carries the administrative weight. Your key actions are: obtain a copy of the A1 certificate before work starts, confirm the host-country notification reference, and ensure workplace conditions (health and safety) meet your local standards. Everything else is handled for you.