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WORKING IN NORWAY

What’s behind Norway’s highest sick leave level for 15 years?

Sick leave in Norway is at its highest level for 15 years, and the country's labour and welfare administration said Thursday that an increase in people off work due to mental health was one of the factors.

Published: 5 September 2024 10:50 CEST
Pictured is a coffee cup next to tissues.
Sick leave in Norway is at its highest level for 15 years. Pictured is an array of items to illustrate illness. Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) said on Thursday that Norway’s sick leave level was 7.1 percent in the second quarter of 2024.

This is the highest sickness level measured since 2009. In total, 10.6 million working days were lost due to illness during the second quarter.

Some 1.7 million days were lost due to workers calling in sick. Workers in Norway can report themselves sick for up to three days before their employer can request a sick note.

READ MORE: How long can you take off work without a sick note in Norway?

The majority of the days, some 9.1 million, were lost to employees signed off from work by a doctor.

NAV director Hans Christian Holte said that sick leave due to psychological problems was rising the fastest.

“Sickness absence continues to increase from an already high level, which is serious. It is still sickness absence due to psychological problems that is increasing the most, and this has a big impact on the statistics because these absences are often long-term,” he said.

Mental health issues accounted for just under a quarter of all work days lost due to sick leave.

“It is unknown what this increase is due to, and it is probably very complex. We need a better understanding of the reasons for this development,” Holte said.

However, musculoskeletal disorders were still the most common cause of sick leave at around 33 percent.

Workers aged between 60-64 had the highest levels of sick leave. However, the people aged 25-39 saw the most significant increase in sickness absence.

Norway’s government has said it wants to cut down the number of people on sick leave.

“We understand that the parties in working life also want to reduce absenteeism and that they understand the need for clearer measures,” jobs minister Tonje Brenna said.

Negotiations between the state, unions, and employer organisations will begin on Monday to reach a new agreement on working conditions with the aim of reducing sick leave.

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For members

WORKING IN NORWAY

Four steps to take straight after you lose your job in Norway

Losing a job is a nightmare scenario for many of us. Losing a job as a foreign resident in Norway comes with even more risk. Following these steps should help you get back on your feet in no time.

Published: 18 September 2024 12:32 CEST
Four steps to take straight after you lose your job in Norway

Being laid off is never easy, but as a foreign resident, finding yourself unemployed could also jeopardise your residence rights.

This extra layer of stress compounds dealing with a country’s workplace regulations on employment termination and what rights you may be entitled to as a job seeker.

In the immediate aftermath of losing your job, it can be hard to think clearly, but following these four steps should help you move forward—and hopefully, the next opportunity will come your way soon.

1. Checking the terms and legality of the firing

Before signing or agreeing to anything, familiarising yourself with the rules for ending employment relationships in Norway is important.

While the country has a good reputation for protecting workers, unlawful firings happen regularly, and some workers sign unfavourable terms when they may be entitled to more.

The dismissal must be “factually justified,” and the burden of proof that the firing was justified lies with the employer.

In cases of misconduct and performance issues, the employer must also collect detailed evidence, issue warnings, and make documented efforts to improve the worker’s performance or behaviour.

When a meeting over termination is held, all proper steps must be subsequently followed, and you will be allowed to bring a representative.

If the employer has not followed all these steps, you can dispute the firing.

It is important that workers do not let their employers pressure them into resigning, as this relieves the employer of fulfilling its obligations and of having to provide a reason for the grounds for firing.

More information on the termination of employment relationships can be found on the website of the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority.

It is also important to ensure that you receive all the necessary documentation from your employer; if you don’t, the termination may be considered invalid. 

READ ALSO: Is it really ‘impossible’ to get fired in Norway?

2. Contact your union

A large bulk of the Norwegian workforce is unionised, and if you have been fired you can still make use of your union.

You can use the union to determine whether the firing was justified or legal.

Union lawyers have a fairly good track record of getting members’ dismissals overturned.

These associations also have resources to help members who have become job seekers. This can include CV workshops and job-seeking tips.

3. Check how the job loss affects your residence rights

Becoming unemployed can affect your right to live in Norway legally. Figuring out how being unemployed will affect your rights to live and remain in Norway is hugely important.

If you are in Norway on a work permit, you must notify the local police station in your area within seven days of becoming unemployed.

From there, you will have up to six months to look for a new job in Norway. When you get a new job, you may be required to apply for a new permit.

For those on a skilled worker permit, this means the job must be related to their skills and qualifications, and they cannot just get any job.

Those from the EEA can continue living in Norway as long as they like, as long as they have been working in the country for over a year. If you’ve worked in Norway for less than a year, you will have six months to find a new job.

Workers from the EEA aren’t required to have a job directly related to their skills and qualifications. 

READ ALSO: What happens to work permit holders in Norway if they lose their job?

4. Register with NAV

Those who are legally living in Norway and paying taxes are members of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.

If you are a member of the National Insurance Scheme, then you may be eligible for welfare or unemployment benefits from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV).

You will need to register as a job seeker in addition to applying for unemployment benefits. Alternatively, you may be entitled to wages that your employer still needs to pay if the company has gone bankrupt. You can read more about the process of applying for unemployment benefits (in Norwegian) here.

Having access to this financial lifeline may be able to tide you over until you find a new job.

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