Currency: Norwegian Kronar (NOK)

Capital: Oslo

Official language: Norwegian and Sámi

Payroll Cycle: Monthly

Paid Time Off

In Norway, employees are entitled to 20 days of paid holiday a year. Additionally, there is a Holiday bonus of 12% of the previous year’s income and is paid in June of the following year.

Public Holidays

• New Year's Day
• Maundy Thursday
• Good Friday
• Easter
• Easter Monday
• Labour Day
• Ascension Day
• Whitsun
• Whit Monday
• Norway National Day
• 1st Christmas Day
• 2nd Christmas Day

Individual Income Tax

The individual income tax depends on many variables, such as marital status, level of income, etc. The average ranges up to 16.2%

Employer Tax

Approximately, 16.1% of employee salary

Employment Contract Details

There are no specific rules governing the language used to write employment contracts.Contracts must always be in writing and specify the type of employment agreed, trial period, restrictive covenants and notice

Probation Period

The maximum probation period is 6 months.

Minimum Wage Requirements

There are no provisions regarding minimum salary stipulated in law.

Maximum working hours and overtime

Normal working hours are generally 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week.

Bonus and expense payments

Bonuses may be paid. Terms and conditions are determined by the parties and must be included in the employment agreement to be enforced.

Parental Leave

Parents have the right to a total leave of 12 months, including the right to pregnancy leave and the right to maternity leave. The leave must be taken after maternity leave. A total of 10 weeks are reserved for either parent. Note, for the mother the first 6 weeks after the birth are mandatory and are included in her 10 weeks. Apart from these limitations, the parents are free to divide between them the remaining period of parental leave.

• Maternity leave: employees must take 3 weeks before childbirth and 6 weeks immediately after.
• Paternity leave: employees are entitled to 14 weeks. In addition, 2 weeks of unpaid leave of absence in connection with the birth

Sick Leave

In the event of sickness, employees must notify the employer immediately of their condition. The employer is normally responsible for the payment of the compensation for the first 16 days of the employee’s sickness leave, provided the employee has been employed for a qualifying period of at least 4 weeks. Employees are entitled to sick pay for 1 year. Following the employer’s period of responsibility, the National Insurance Scheme is responsible for the payment. The amount of sick pay from the Social Security is limited.

Terminations must be justified and employees must receive written notice letter. Employees can appeal to a court if they consider the dismissal unjustified. There is no statutory right to severance pay in Norway. The employee is however still entitled to their ordinary salary payment and additional contractual benefits during the period of notice in accordance with the terms of employment.

Notice Period

Severance pay is due according to the notice period. Notice periods start from 1 month and increase according to seniority up to 6 months for employees with over 10 years’ seniority.