No overtime pay, high pressure at work and vulnerability to exploitation. Inspections will be conducted throughout the country.
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“All cleaning companies must now be prepared for our visit,” says Trude Vollheim, director of the Norwegian Labor Inspectorate.
Vulnerability to exploitation
The cleaning industry affects several criteria of vulnerability to exploitation in working life: many workers of foreign origin, low educational requirements, physically demanding work and some inconvenient working hours.
– Foreign workers tend to be more vulnerable to exploitation. Often, language barriers create challenges and they may be less aware of rights and responsibilities in working life, says Vollheim.
“Therefore, we will now carry out an action that, among other things, will check whether employees receive general remuneration and follow the cleaning approval program,” says Trude Vollheim, director of the Norwegian Labor Inspectorate.
Many unscrupulous companies
Previous audits have shown that there are many unscrupulous players in the cleaning industry
The vast majority of people have the desire and ambition to be serious. They are the ones who know or take the time to learn about the regulations and implement them. However, we see that there are also those in this industry who deliberately break the rules.
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Important cooperation with the parties
The Norwegian Labor Inspectorate has a well-established cooperation with the parties under the cleaning industry programme. This effort is well received.
– We work closely with the Norwegian Labor Inspectorate and the employee side. We are pleased with these efforts - says the head of the department Ingeborg Malterud from NHO Service og Handel.
– We see the need for more frequent, more effective inspections and together we fight workplace crime and labor exploitation. It's about respect for the profession, respect for a significant part of the industry that has gone ahead and developed a system of homologation. It's about fair competition – and working conditions. NHO Service og Hande will continue to contribute to this important work that the Norwegian Labor Inspectorate is just beginning.
There are many workers in the industry who can be easily exploited
– The Norwegian Labor Inspectorate plays a particularly important role when it comes to combating crime in the workplace and dishonesty in the cleaning industry precisely because we find many workers here who can be easily exploited. We are very pleased that an additional investment in this area is now being implemented. The Norwegian Labor Inspectorate has the power to impose sanctions and must be visible and present. This, of course, is of great importance for cleaning companies, but it is also crucial for the survival of serious companies in the long term, says Brede Edvardsen, deputy chairman of the Norwegian Trade Union Confederation
Minimum wage requirement
The cleaning industry is a general industry. This means that employees of cleaning companies are entitled to the minimum wage. The minimum wage is set, among other things, to ensure equal pay conditions for all employees in the industry. This requirement applies regardless of whether the employee is Norwegian or foreign. It is also irrelevant whether the employee is employed permanently, temporarily, or works full-time or part-time.
Cleaning companies must have a permit
In 2012, a cleaning company approval system was introduced and it is prohibited to both operate without a permit and purchase cleaning services from cleaning companies that are not approved. All companies that wholly or partially offer cleaning services in Norway must apply for approval. This also applies to those who hire people to perform cleaning services.
The approval requirement also applies to self-employed people, whether or not the business employs employees. If the company does not have employees, an application for approval must be submitted to Altinn without attachments and the operator must order an HMS card for himself.
Companies with cleaning staff who perform cleaning services solely as part of their own business cannot apply for approval.
Approved cleaning companies are registered in the register of cleaning companies at arbeidstilsynet.no.
Report information about irregularities
You can notify the Norwegian Labor Inspectorate of irregularities. This may include information about inappropriate conditions at your own workplace, as well as situations you witness at other workplaces. You can choose to remain anonymous. We consider all tips and comments. Use our online form: https://tips.arbeidstilsynet.no/skjema/intern
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Source: Norwegian Labor Inspectorate
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