act relating to working environment, working hours and employment protection, etc. (working environment act)
atle sønsteli johansen
act relating to working environment, working hours and employment protection, etc.
(working environment act)
2. edition
© Gyldendal Norsk Forlag AS 2025
2. edition 2025
ISBN 978-82-05-61411-6
Cover design: Kristin Berg Johnsen
Layout: Bøk Oslo AS
Typesetting: HAVE A BOOK
Font: Minion 8,5/12 pkt
Paper: 80 g Amber Graphic
Print and binding: Mediehuset Andvord AS, Norway 2025
Gyldendal Akademisk
Postboks 6860, Pilestredet Park 0176 Oslo
Norway www.gyldendal.no/akademisk akademisk@gyldendal.no
All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright may be reproduced in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping or information storage and retrieval systems –without the written permission of the publisher.
The law in this book is an unofficial translation of the Norwegian version of the Act (Lov om arbeidsmiljø, arbeidstid og stillingsvern mv. (arbeidsmiljøloven)). Legal authenticity remains with the Norwegian version as published in Norsk Lovtidend. In the event of any inconsistency, the Norwegian version will prevail. The translation is mainly based on a translation provided by The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet), published on lovdata.no, with necessary updates in the legal text.
Preface
Laws reflect political and social changes and, with the EEA agreement, national labor law is largely influenced by common European rules. A number of directives have been incorporated into law, and case law from the EU (and EFTA) courts has gained great importance in recent years. This applies to areas such as hiring, equal treatment, transfer of business, mass redundancies, working hours etc. The directives are essentially minimum rules that all EU/EEA countries must meet. Norwegian national rules generally provide better protections for employees than the minimum EU rules.
In most cases, collective agreements offer better rights for workers than what follows from the law’s minimum requirements, e.g. when it comes to working time regulations, protections against dismissal, the right to overtime pay, leave rules and days off etc.
The Working Environment Act works together with other national legislation such as holiday pay, sick leave, pensions etc. In order to keep the overview and coherence of the rules, collective agreements and other legislation is mentioned where relevant. The comments also refer to key judgments and the most important regulations that supplement the provisions of the Act.
This second edition is significantly expanded, and also includes an index with keywords. This edition is updated with legislative changes and relevant case law as of December 2024.
Oslo, January 2025
Atle Sønsteli Johansen
Section
Section
Section
Section
Section 12-16. Regulations in connection with outbreak or danger of an outbreak of a communicable disease hazardous to public health
Section
Section 13-2.
Section 13-3.
Section 13-4. Obtaining information on the appointment of employees
Section 13-5. (Repealed)
Section 13-6.
Section 13-7. Duty
Section 14-1. Information concerning vacant posts in
Section 14-1 a. (Repealed)
Section 14-1 b.
Section 14-2. Preferential right to a
Section 14-3. Preferential rights of part-time employees
Section 14-4. Effects of a breach of the provisions concerning preferential rights
Section 14-4 a. Part-time workers’ entitlement to a post equivalent to actual working hours
Section 14-4 b. Consequences of breaches of part-time workers’ entitlement to a post equivalent to actual working hours
Section 14-5. Requirements regarding a written contract of employment
Section 14-6. Minimum requirements regarding the content of the written contract
Section 14-7. Employees posted abroad
Section 14-8. Changes in the employment relationship
Section 14-8 a. Request for more predictable and safe working conditions
Section 14-9. Permanent and temporary appointment
Section 14-10. Fixed-term appointments
Section 14-11. Effects of breaches of the provisions concerning
Section 14-12. Hiring of workers from undertakings whose object is to hire out labour (temporary-work agencies)
Section 14-12 a. Equal treatment regarding pay and working conditions in connection with the hiring out of workers by temporary-work agencies
Section 14-12 b. The obligation to provide information and right of access to information when hiring workers from temporary-work agencies
Section 14-12 c. Joint and several liability for user undertakings
Section 14-13. Hiring of employees from undertakings other than those whose object is to hire out labour
Section 14-14. Consequences of unlawful hiring of employees
Section
Section
Section 14-16.
Section 14-17.
Section 14-18.
Section 14 A-1.
Section
Section
Section
Section
Section
Section
Chapter
Section 17-1. Disputes concerning working conditions
Section 17-2. Dispute Resolution Board
Section 17-2 a. Time limit for submission of matters to the Dispute Resolution Board
Section 17-2 b. Rehearing
Section 17-2 c. Correction and supplementary decisions
Section 17-3. The right to demand negotiations
Section 17-4. Time limits for instituting legal proceedings in disputes concerning dismissal with notice, summary dismissal, suspension, etc.
Section 17-5. Extension of time limits and reinstatement of cases in respect of dismissal during sickness, pregnancy, parental leave, military service, etc.
Section
Section
Section
Section
Section
Section