Hours of work in Norway

Working shifts are usually between the hours of 8/9 a.m. and 4/5 p.m., with an unpaid 30-minute lunch break.

The number of weekly working hours is usually 37.5 or 40. Hours worked beyond 40 hours per week or 9 hours per day must be paid as overtime.

Norwegian law is very strict with limiting employees’ working hours. Hours worked beyond 40 a week are overtime hours. An employee may not work more than 200 overtime hours per year.

Opt-out option

Employees aren’t allowed to opt-out of the maximum working hours.

The employer and the employee may agree in writing that normal working hours may be arranged. On average, during a period not exceeding 52 weeks, there may not be more than 40 hours per week, with the total working hours not exceeding (1) 10 hours per each 24-hour period and (2) 48 hours per each seven-day period. The limit of 48 hours per seven days may be calculated on the basis of a fixed average over a period of eight weeks, provided that normal working hours don’t exceed 50 hours in any one week.

Overtime is work beyond the weekly 40 hours. The overtime pay per hour must be at least 140 percent of the ordinary hourly rate (ordinary hourly rate + 40 percent).

The employer and the employee may agree in writing that overtime hours shall wholly or partly be taken out as off-duty time on agreed dates. However, the overtime supplement of (at minimum) 40 percent must be paid out.

Every employee is entitled to the following:

Working on Sundays is prohibited unless the nature of the work makes it necessary.

Night work is defined as work performed between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Night work is prohibited unless the nature of the work makes it necessary. The duration of night work is limited to 8 hours per a 24-hour period.

Employers must record all working hours laid down by each employee.

A summary (made either manually or electronically) showing how much an individual employee has worked must be available should the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority decide to conduct an overview (with timesheets being the most common form of a written overview of working hours).

Employers breaking the rules on working hours and resting periods may be subject to fines, the size which may vary depending on the size of the business, the degree of neglect, etc.