On Friday 17 April, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs adopted a new ordinance so that people who break travel bans and quarantine themselves voluntarily by leaving Norway. Upon return to Norway, they may be refused sickness benefit.
People quarantined after their stay abroad are now entitled to Illness Benefit. This was done so that the residents would be provided with income protection. At the same time, employers were not unnecessarily burdened with infection control measures and travel advice as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. During Easter, there were examples of conscious people breaking the rules on traveling abroad, thus defying the prohibitions and advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and deliberately taking quarantine upon their return to Norway.
No Sense
- It is unreasonable that people who knowingly break the advice of the travel authorities should receive sickness benefit during quarantine. Therefore, we are changing the rules so that you can refuse sickness benefit in this situation. According to Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.
- Everyone has to adapt. This is a clear signal to those who speculate on it: they cannot expect full wages at the expense of the state when they consciously and willingly break travel advice, says the minister.
The rules will apply from Friday April 17th.
Recipes that change
Regulations regarding temporary changes on March 20 2020 No. 368 on exclusions from the Social Insurance Act and the Work Environment Act in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic.
