Overtime in Norway is a matter regulated by the Norwegian Labor Code (norw. arbeidsmiljøloven). It is worth knowing how they are calculated so as not to fall victim to abuse in the plant. Standard working hours are 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, what we wrote about on the pages of our portal. However, the law allows for some exceptions.
Standard working hours
Standard working hours in Norway are 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. The situation is slightly different in the case of a shift work system - in such circumstances, 36 or 38 hours a week are considered to be the standard working time. The length and the work schedule itself are regulated by the provisions in the signed employment relationship. It is worth remembering that the employer is responsible for keeping records of working time.
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Other methods of accounting for hours worked are also allowed. It may take place as a result of signing an agreement between the employee and the employer, it may also result from collective agreements signed by the company shop steward. The company may also regulate other working hours under a special authorization from the Arbeidstilsynet. Nevertheless, in each of these cases, the sum of hours spent at work may not exceed the statutory limit. If you work more, it means that you work overtime in Norway.
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Overtime in Norway - limits
Overtime in Norway is allowed, but there must be circumstances that justify it. First of all, they must be temporary and result from the special needs of the workplace. However, it cannot be a standard work system in a given company.
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Under the agreement signed between the employee and the employer, overtime hours in Norway may not exceed the following limits:
- 10 hours a week,
- 25 hours for 4 weeks,
- 200 hours for 52 weeks.
The total working time may not exceed 13 hours a day, nor 48 hours a week. It is worth knowing that the limit of 48 hours a week can be calculated as an average spread over 8 consecutive weeks. In practice, this means that in some weeks it is possible to work longer than 48 hours in exchange for a corresponding reduction in working time in other weeks.
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Overtime in Norway - agreement with shop stewards
Overtime hours in Norway may be more, provided that an agreement is made with the company shop steward. Then the extended working time may not exceed:
- 15 hours a week,
- 40 hours for 4 consecutive weeks,
- 300 hours for 52 weeks.
Persons who have given their consent can work in such a system. Under individual agreements on total working time, a different amount of extended working time may be used, but it may not exceed 16 hours a day.
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Arbeidstilsynet permit
The employer may also submit an application to the Arbeidstilsynet, which may consent to:
- overtime in Norway exceeding 20 hours a week,
- overtime in Norway of more than 200 hours in 26 weeks.
The maximum number of overtime hours in Norway is 400 hours in 52 consecutive weeks.
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Remuneration
For overtime work, employees are entitled to remuneration of at least 40% of the basic hourly rate. There is no legal possibility to arrange a lower wage. As a rule, more favorable overtime conditions in Norway can be negotiated on the basis of collective agreements. It is also possible to arrange flexible working hours, e.g. hour per hour - but this does not mean that you will receive a bonus for overtime. This supplement must always be paid.
