Work Rights Guide

Employment Contract

Every employee must have a written contract. It must include:

• Name and address of both parties
• Start date
• Job title and description
• Place of work
• Working hours
• Salary
• Holiday entitlement
• Notice period

Probation Period (Prøvetid)

• Maximum 6 months
• Notice period during probation: 14 days
• Cannot be extended

Notice Period (Oppsigelsestid)

For the Employee

• Minimum 1 month

For the Employer

• Under 5 years employment: 1 month
• 5–10 years employment: 2 months
• Over 10 years employment: 3 months
• Over 10 years + aged 50: 4 months
• Over 10 years + aged 55: 5 months
• Over 10 years + aged 60: 6 months
• Note: The extended age-based notice periods apply only to employer-initiated dismissal. Employees always retain the right to resign with 3 months' notice regardless of age.

Holiday (Ferie)

Minimum by Law

• 25 working days (4 weeks + 1 day) per year
• Note: Working days include Saturday, but NOT Sunday
• Many collective agreements give 30 working days (5 weeks)

Over 60 Years Old

• Extra 6 working days
• Total: 31 working days by law

Earning Holiday

• Full holiday from day 1 if you start before 30 September
• If you start after 30 September: Only 1 week the first year

Main Holiday Period

• 1 June – 30 September
• You can demand 3 consecutive weeks (18 working days) during this period

Holiday Pay (Feriepenger)

• Holiday pay is earned the year before and paid out the following year
• Usually paid in June
• If you leave your job, you receive all earned holiday pay

Sick Leave (Sykepenger)

• First 16 calendar days: Employer pays
• From day 17: NAV pays
• Self-certification (egenmelding – standard): Up to 3 consecutive calendar days per occasion, up to 4 times per 12 months (statutory minimum for all employers)
• Self-certification (egenmelding – extended): Up to 8 calendar days per occasion, up to 24 days per year – applies to IA workplaces (inclusive working life agreement) and many other employers; not a universal right
• Sick note required: From day 4 (standard) or from day 9 (extended scheme)
• Pay: 100% of salary
• Maximum: 6G (780,960 kr in 2025)
• Note: Quarantine is not covered – only illness

Parental Leave (Foreldrepenger)

• 49 weeks at 100% or 61 weeks and 1 day at 80% (applies to children born on or after 1 July 2024)
• Mother's quota: 15 weeks
• Father's quota: 15 weeks
• Shared period: 16 weeks (49-week option) or 18 weeks (61-week option)
• 3 weeks before birth included
• Requirement: Must have worked 6 of the last 10 months
• Pay: 100% or 80% of income up to 6G
• Can be combined with part-time work

Overtime

• Statutory minimum: 40% supplement on agreed hourly rate
• Common tariff rates: 50% on evenings/weekdays, 100% on Sundays and public holidays – check your collective agreement or contract
• Maximum per week: 10 hours
• Maximum per 4 weeks: 25 hours
• Maximum per year: 200 hours (300 with collective agreement, 400 with individual agreement)

Pension (OTP)

• Minimum 2% of salary from 0–12G
• 12G = 1,561,920 kr (2025)
• Mandatory from day 1
• For employees over 13 years old
• Must be set up within 6 months of starting
• Employer pays for everything
• Many collective agreements have higher than 2% (5–7% is common)

Å-melding

• Monthly report from employer to NAV and Skatteetaten
• Deadline: 5th of the following month
• Check your income at skatteetaten.no
• If missing: Contact your employer immediately