Partner & Attorney at law
Employment & Employee Participation
Renée Huijsmans-Zwijnenburg is, as a client once described, straightforward and to the point. This makes her a great fit for De Clercq. In her daily practice, Renée assists executives, legal counsels, and HR with various employment law issues, including individual and collective dismissals, reorganisations, employment conditions, and incapacity for work. Within employment law, she has specialised in cases involving integrity or undesirable behaviour. Social safety is high on her agenda.
"Integrity and addressing undesirable behaviour are fundamental to a safe workplace where everyone feels respected and valued. In my work, I not only look at the legal frameworks but also at the impact on company culture and the practical applicability of measures. Together with entrepreneurs and HR professionals, I seek solutions that truly work and contribute to a culture of trust. And if necessary, I am ready with concrete legal steps to ensure that transgressive behaviour is addressed and integrity is safeguarded."
Renée studied Law at Maastricht University, where she chose Civil Law as her major. In the years that followed, Renée specialised in employment law. She successfully completed the Grotius specialisation course in Employment Law at Radboud University Nijmegen in 2015.
Since 2009, Renée has worked as a lawyer and legal advisor. In 2015, she joined the De Clercq team with considerable practical experience. Within employment law, Renée has specialised in various subfields, such as reorganisations, individual and collective dismissals, and social safety. Additionally, Renée is a supervisor (HR portfolio) at the Stichting Openbaar Primair Onderwijs Oegstgeest and contributes as a board member of the Stichting Vrienden van het Zaans Medisch Centrum to a healthy Zaanstreek.
Within the Labour, Participation & Mediation section, Renée mainly focuses on individual and collective dismissal law. She can also provide excellent advice on matters related to employment contracts, employment conditions, incapacity for work, underperformance, and the employment law aspects of reorganisations. Her passion lies in issues related to social safety. Renée is eager to share her knowledge through publications, training sessions, or workshops. She is regularly invited as a speaker at conferences.
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Employment, Employee Participation & Mediation
17 December 2025
Around holidays and company events, questions often arise about alcohol and drug use in the workplace. More and more employers are adopting a zero-tolerance policy, but that does not always mean it is applied correctly.
Employment, Employee Participation & Mediation
16 December 2025
The European Pay Transparency Directive (2023/970) aims to reduce the pay gap between men and women. This requires organizations to be more transparent about remuneration, both towards job applicants and towards employees and supervisory bodies. The Netherlands must transpose this European Directive into national legislation. Although a bill has already been proposed, the transposition of the Directive into national legislation has been postponed until 1 January 2027.
Employment, Employee Participation & Mediation
16 December 2025
The Minister of Social Affairs and Employment stated in a parliamentary letter ated 11 December 2025 that the bill concerning the compensation of the transition payment in cases of long-term incapacity for work must be dealt with urgently.