Norway requires employers to provide a written notice period to employees before dismissal, according to the following:
Employers may dismiss employees hired under a written contract during the probationary period if the termination is due to the employee's lack of suitability for the work, proficiency, or reliability. A notice of at least 14 days is required for dismissal during probation unless the parties previously agreed otherwise in writing or with a collective pay agreement.
If the employer's notice is not given in writing or does not include the required information, and the employee institutes legal proceedings within 4 months from the date that notice is given, the notice shall be ruled invalid unless exceptional circumstances make this unreasonable. If the notice is invalid, the employee may claim compensation.
Employees who wish to work in Norway are required to obtain a work permit. The following conditions must be met:
A first-time residence permit in Norway is issued as a temporary permit lasting no more than 3 years and must be granted for at least 1 year. The permit may not be issued for a longer period than the actual duration of the employment relationship.
Remote work is generally not permitted in Norway without a proper work-authorizing residence permit, meaning digital-nomad stays are effectively not allowed.
Employers must give employees an annual leave of 25 working days each calendar year. Working days are defined as all non-Sundays, statutory weekends, or public holidays. Employees over 60 years of age are entitled to 6 extra days of leave. An employee who turns 60 during the calendar year shall be given extra leave of six working days. If the extra leave is divided, the employee can only demand to take as many working days off as they normally have during a week.
An employee who joins no later than September 30 in the calendar year is entitled to full annual leave (25 working days). An employee who joins after this time is entitled to an annual leave of six working days.
A written agreement can be entered into on the termination of an advance holiday of up to 12 working days and the transfer of up to 12 working days holiday to the following holiday year. Advance holiday and transfer of holiday beyond this can not be agreed.
Hours of Work
Norway's Working Environment Act sets standard working hours at 9 hours per day and 40 hours per week. Employees who work over the standard working hours are eligible for overtime pay. Working hours are reduced for the following categories of employees:
For young persons between 15 and 18 not attending compulsory education, working hours shall not exceed 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. There are different work-hour regulations for those attending school.
Home Office Regulations
Norway requires that the employer and employee enter into a written agreement concerning working from home (unless working from home is ordered or recommended by Norwegian authorities). The general rules on working hours in the current Norwegian employment law apply to work-from-home arrangements. The Labor Inspection Authority is authorized to supervise the home office regulations.
In Norway, a pregnant employee is entitled to a leave of absence for up to 12 weeks during her pregnancy. After childbirth, the mother takes a leave of absence for the first 6 weeks of the post-birth period unless she produces a medical certificate stating that it is preferable that she resume work.
Pregnant employees can receive maternity benefits from the time they have to stop working until 3 weeks before their due date. The pregnancy benefit can be up to 6 times the basic amount in the National Insurance system. In addition to these, the mother is also eligible for parental benefits that she can withdraw starting 3 weeks before the birth and up to 6 weeks after the birth.
The parental benefit period ranges for a single birth from 49 weeks (15 weeks are reserved for each parent) with 100% wage coverage to 61 weeks and 1 day (19 weeks are reserved for each parent) with 80% wage coverage. The parental benefit is calculated in the same way as sickness benefits. The maximum benefit is equivalent to 6 times the National Insurance Basic Amount annually, regardless of whether the parent's income is higher.
Leave rights related to having a child mean that parents, together, are entitled to take leave until the child attains 3 years of age. The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service (NAV) pays the first year. To ensure staffing predictability, the employer can demand that the leave be taken as a continuous period.
There is no general minimum wage set by the government in Norway. However, a minimum wage has been introduced in some industries through industry-wide collective agreements. Employers in the following industries may be subject to an industry-wide minimum wage collective agreement:
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