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Norway - Compensation & Benefit Legislation

CAPITAL

Oslo

 

CLIMATE

Temperate along the coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers causing glaciers to grow; rainy year-round on west coast

 

LANGUAGES

Norwegian (official), Lapp.

 

CURRENCY

Norwegian Krone (1 USD = 8.87940 NOK as of March 1, 2002)

 

NORWAY - COST-OF-LIVING

ERI's Relocation Assessor is a recommended source for cost-of-living data.

 

NORWAY - EMBASSY/CONSULATES

U.S. Embassy at Oslo

Drammensveien 18

PSC 69, Box 1000

APO AE 09707

0244 Oslo, Norway

Telephone: [47] 22-44-85-50

Fax: [47] 22-56-27-51

E-mail: irc@usa.no

http://www.usa.no/

 

Royal Embassy of Norway at Washington D.C.

2720 34th Street N.W.

Washington D.C. 20008

Telephone: (202) 333-6000

Fax: (202) 337-0870

http://www.norway.org/

 

NORWAY - HOLIDAYS

 

NORWAY - LEAVE

Annual Leave: Mandatory minimum 25 working days of paid leave per year (31 days for those over age 60).

 

Maternity Leave: 18 weeks – 100% of pay (paid for by social security). Additional 26 paid weeks available to either parent.

 

NORWAY - MINIMUM AGE

Children 13 to 18 years of age may be employed part-time in light work that will not affect adversely their health, development, or schooling. Minimum age rules are observed in practice and enforced by the Directorate of Labor Inspections (DLI).

 

(Section 6.d. Acceptable Conditions of Work, Norway – Report of Human Rights Practices, 2001, U.S. Department of State.)

 

NORWAY - MINIMUM REMUNERATION

There is no specified minimum wage, but wages normally fall within a national scale negotiated by labor, employers, and the Government.

 

(Section 6.e. Acceptable Conditions of Work, Norway – Report of Human Rights Practices, 2001, U.S. Department of State.)

 

NORWAY - REMUNERATION

ERI's Geographic and Salary Assessors are recommended sources for international remuneration covering 189 countries.

 

NORWAY - REPORT OF HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES (2001, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE)

Section 6 Worker Rights

 

a. The Right of Association

 

The law provides workers with the right to associate freely. With membership totaling approximately 60 percent of the workforce, unions play an important role in political and economic life, and the Government consults them on important economic and social problems. Although the largest trade union federation is associated with the Labor Party, all unions and labor federations are free of party and government control.

 

Workers have the right to strike; however, the Government has the right, with the approval of the Parliament, to invoke compulsory arbitration under certain circumstances. Compulsory arbitration was last invoked in 1995. There were no notable strikes during the year.

 

In 1995 the Supreme Court ruled that rules on compulsory arbitration do not violate international commitments; the case was under appeal in the international court of human rights in Strasbourg at year's end.

 

A Government-appointed committee with representatives from all employer organizations and employee unions--created to examine the practice of using compulsory arbitration in especially difficult labor conflicts--presented its proposal on April 1. Its main proposition was to introduce a mechanism to require employee unions to vote on solutions offered by the arbitration tribunal in order to reach agreements in wage negotiations. The major unions have all rejected the proposal.

 

Unions are free to form federations and to affiliate internationally; unions maintain strong ties with such international bodies as the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.

 

b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively

 

All workers, including government employees and military personnel, have and exercise the right to organize and bargain collectively. Collective bargaining is widespread, and most wage earners are covered by negotiated settlements, either directly or through understandings that extend the contract terms to workers outside the main labor federation and the employers' bargaining group.

 

The law prohibits antiunion discrimination. The Labor Court deals with complaints of antiunion discrimination; however, there were no such complaints during the year.

 

There are no export processing zones.

 

 c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor

 

The law prohibits forced or compulsory labor; however, there were reports of trafficking in women (see Section 6.f.). The Directorate of Labor Inspections (DLI) is responsible for compliance with the law.

 

The Government prohibits forced and bonded labor by children, and in general it is not known to occur; however, there have been reports of children being trafficked into the country (See Section 6.f.).

 

d. Status of Child Labor Practices and Minimum Age for Employment

 

Children 13 to 18 years of age may be employed part-time in light work that will not affect adversely their health, development, or schooling. Minimum age rules are observed in practice and enforced by the Directorate of Labor Inspections (DLI).

 

The Government prohibits forced and bonded labor by children, and in general it is not known to occur; however, there have been reports of children being trafficked into the country (See Section 6.f.).

 

e. Acceptable Conditions of Work

 

There is no specified minimum wage, but wages normally fall within a national scale negotiated by labor, employers, and the Government. The Government changed the wage negotiating process in 1996, shifting negotiations from the national to the local and company level. The average income, not including extensive social benefits, provides a decent standard of living for a worker and family.

 

Normal working hours are mandated by law and limited to 371/2 hours per week. The law also provides for 25 working days of paid leave per year (31 days for those over age 60). A 28-hour rest period is mandated legally on weekends and holidays.

 

The law provides for safe and physically acceptable working conditions for all employed persons. Specific standards are set by the DLI in consultation with nongovernmental experts. According to the law, environment committees composed of management, workers, and health personnel must be established in all enterprises with 50 or more workers, and safety delegates must be elected in all organizations. Workers have the right to remove themselves from situations that endanger their health. The DLI effectively monitors compliance with labor legislation and standards.

 

f. Trafficking in Persons

 

No law specifically criminalizes trafficking in persons, although existing labor and immigration statutes may be used to prosecute trafficking cases; however, although such cases are rare, Norway is a destination for women trafficked for the purpose of prostitution, particularly from Russia, according to a 1999 OSCE report. There also have been occasional reports of children from Russia being trafficked into the country to work in petty theft rings.

 

Cases of possible trafficking generally may be prosecuted under general laws concerning labor, indentured servitude, immigration, and sexual assault; however, there were no prosecutions for such offenses during the year. Immigration and law enforcement authorities have begun to pay attention to the problem of trafficking. The Ministry of Children and Family Affairs coordinates an interministerial working group, which has developed a plan of action to combat trafficking. The working group also is responsible for implementing resolutions and recommendations from the U.N. and the European Council on trafficking. During the year, the working group published a report on government measures to combat trafficking.

 

Victims of trafficking in the country had the same legal rights as other foreigners to apply for residency, asylum, welfare, social aid, and emergency health care. The Ministry of Children and Family Affairs is responsible for assisting possible victims of trafficking; however, most asylum requests by victims have been denied.

 

NORWAY - STANDARD WORKWEEK

Normal working hours are mandated by law and limited to 37 1/2 hours per week. A 28-hour rest period is mandated legally on weekends and holidays.

 

(Section 6.e. Acceptable Conditions of Work, Norway - Report of Human Rights Practices, 1997, U.S. Department of State.)

 

NORWAY - SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security Office of International Programs:

 

http://www.ssa.gov/SSA_Home.html

 

NORWAY - TOTALIZATION AGREEMENT WITH U.S.

NOTE: Norway provides old-age, survivor, and disability benefits through two separate programs: a "basic" pension program based on how long the worker lived in Norway and a "supplementary" pension program based on how long the person worked and the amount earned.

 

Effective Date of Agreement: July 1, 1984.

 

Coverage and Social Security Taxes: 

 

For employees sent by a Norwegian employer to work in the U.S. for five years or less, taxes and coverage fall to Norway. If the employee is sent to work in the U.S. for more than five years, was hired in the U.S., or is a U.S. citizen, taxes and coverage fall to the U.S.

 

Certificate of Coverage Request-- UNITED STATES: 

 

Provide the name, relationship, and date of birth of family members accompanying the worker.

 

Certificate of Coverage Request-- NORWAY: 

 

To establish an employee's exemption from coverage under the U.S. Social Security system, an employer must request a certificate of coverage from Norway at this address:

 

National Insurance Office for Social Insurance Abroad

Drammensveien 60

Oslo 2

NORWAY

 

The same information required for a certificate of coverage from the U.S. (see above) is needed to get a certificate of coverage from Norway except that the worker's Norwegian social insurance number should be shown rather than the U.S. number.

 

Minimum Credits Needed: 

 

An employee without enough work credits to qualify for Norwegian benefits, but with at least one year of coverage under the Norwegian system, may combine Social Security credits from the U.S. and Norway to meet eligibility requirements.

 

Summary of Social Security Benefits: 

 

Retirement or old-age benefits are payable at 67. Disability benefits under the basic program are payable at 16 to 67; the supplementary program benefits are the same as basic except coverage need not immediately precede application. Family benefits pay a supplement to the worker if the spouse is 60 or is caring for a child under 18; and a children's supplement is paid to the worker if the child is under 18. Survivor benefits are paid to a widow(er) if the marriage lasted at least five years or a child was born of the marriage or the surviving spouse is caring for the deceased's children. Survivor benefits are payable to children under 18. There is a lump-sum death benefit and funeral grant.

 

Additional Information: 

 

For specific information on the Norwegian Social Security program, visit or write to:

 

National Insurance Office

for Social Insurance Abroad

Drammensveien 60

Oslo 2

NORWAY

 

See Totalization Agreements