Section 10-4. Normal working hours

(1) Normal working hours must not exceed nine hours per 24 hours and 40 hours per seven days.

(2) In the case of work that is wholly or mainly of a passive nature, working hours may be extended by up to one-half of the passive periods, but not by more than 2 hours per 24-hour day and 10 hours per seven days. When the work is particularly passive, the Labour Inspection Authority may consent to the extension of working hours in excess of that provided in the first sentence, provided that working hours do not exceed 13 hours during 24 hours. Normal working hours must not exceed 48 hours per seven days.

(3) In the case of standby duty outside the workplace, at least one-seventh of such standby duty shall as a rule be included in the ordinary working hours depending on how burdensome the duty scheme is. The employer and the employees' elected representatives in undertakings bound by a collective pay agreement may by written agreement derogate from the provision of the first sentence. The Labour Inspection Authority may stipulate a different method of calculation if so requested by the employer or the employees' elected representatives if the calculation of working hours according to the first paragraph appears unreasonable.

(4) Normal working hours must not exceed nine hours per 24 hours and 38 hours per seven days for:

a.
semi-continuous shift work and comparable rota work,
b.
work on two shifts which are regularly carried out on Sundays and public holidays and comparable rota work regularly carried out on Sundays and public holidays,
c.
work which necessitates that individual employees work at least every third Sunday,
d.
work principally performed at night.

(5) Normal working hours must not exceed nine hours per 24 hours and 36 hours per seven days in the case of:

a.
continuous shift work and comparable rota work,
b.
work below ground in mines, tunnelling and blasting of rock chambers below ground.

(6) In the case of three-shift rotas not covered by the fourth or fifth paragraph and which entail that individual employees are required to work at least every third Sunday, normal working hours pursuant to the first paragraph shall be reduced by regarding each hour worked on Sundays and public holidays, cf. section 10-10, first paragraph, as equal to 1 hour and 10 minutes, and each hour worked during the night, cf. section 10-11, first paragraph, as equal to 1 hour and 15 minutes, down to 36 hours per seven days. Normal working hours must regardless not exceed nine hours per 24 hours and 38 hours per seven days.