A progressive culture, high standard of living, and a long and storied history are just some of the reasons that people prefer working in Norway. If you are someone who has taken up or are considering seeking employment in Norway, check out this article where we cover the basics of Norwegian labor rights.
Labor Rights in Norway:
Minimum Wage:
Even though Norway does not have a generic minimum wage, it has been introduced in specific sectors, such as:
- Cleaning work
- Building
- Catering, restaurants and hotels
- Electricians
- Fish processing
- Horticulture and agriculture
- Maritime construction
- Freight transport (road)
- Passenger transport (tour bus)
Salary Deductions:
Employers in Norway are not allowed to make any deductions from wages/salaries or vacation payments unless those deductions are either statutory (required by law) or have already been agreed upon in a written contract. In case you lose or damage your employer’s property, you will have to consent to a wage deduction as compensation for the loss or damage.
However, if you are employed in one of the above minimum wage industries, your employer cannot deduct your wages in case of any damage or loss of property.
Paid Vacations:
Every employee in Norway is entitled to 25 paid working-day holidays throughout the year. A working day is any day except for Sunday or any public/statutory holidays.
Employees are entitled to use their full quota of holidays and employers must ensure that their workers use their holidays. However, you must make sure to inform and obtain clearance from your employer before you can go on a holiday. In other words, employees are not free to decide on their own when they need to take holidays.
Vacation pay will replace your normal salary and will consist of 10.2% of the gross salary. For employees who are more than 60 years of age, the holiday pay will be 12.5% of their gross pay. These employees can also take up an extra week of vacation. (See also: Top 5 Countries with Best Paid Leave Policies)
Working Hours:
All Norwegian employees are entitled to know their working hours and responsibilities. Working hours are strongly regulated to ensure that employees do not overwork themselves and to determine the criteria for overtime remunerations.
In general, Norway adheres to the following working hours:
- 9 hours in a regular working day
- 40 hours in a regular working week
Breaks:
Every employee working for a minimum of 5.5 hours in a day can take at least a single break.
Employees working 8 hours, or more are entitled to a minimum break of 30 minutes.
In the absence of an adequate break room or area, the break periods will be included in the working hours.
Employees working for at least two hours over the normal working period shall be entitled to a paid minimum break of 30 minutes.
Final Word:
To sum up, the Norwegian government has gone to great lengths to make sure that all of its workers remain protected. To learn more about labor laws around the world, please feel free to check out some of the other articles on our website.
