Working hours

The Working Environment Act defines working hours as time when the employee is at the disposal of the employer. The time the employee is not at the disposal of the employer is referred to as off-duty time.

Normal working hours

There are limits for how much you may work per 24-hour day and per week. These limits are laid down in the Working Environment Act, but may also be regulated by your employment contract and by any collective agreements.

The limits prescribed by the Working Environment Act for normal working hours are:

  • 9 hours per 24 hours
  • 40 hours per 7 days

If you work shifts, nights or Sundays, normal working hours are 38 or 36 hours a week. The duration and disposition of the daily and weekly working hours must be stated in your employment contract.

The employer shall keep an account of the employee’s working hours.

Breaks

An employee is entitled to at least one break if their daily working hours exceed five and a half hours. If daily working hours total eight hours or more, breaks must collectively amount to at least half an hour.

If an employee must remain at the workplace during their break, or if there is no adequate break room, the break shall be considered part of working hours.

If an employee works more than two hours after regular working hours have ended, the employee will be entitled to another break of at least half an hour. This break will be considered part of working hours.

Daily and weekly off-duty periods

There are rules for daily and weekly off-duty periods. This is to ensure enough rest and leisure time for employees.

Employees are entitled to a minimum of:

  • 11 hours of continuous off-duty time per 24 hours
  • 35 hours of continuous off-duty time per 7 days

Employers and employee-elected representatives in undertakings bound by a collective agreement may agree on shorter continuous off-duty periods, but no shorter than:

  • 8 hours per every 24 hours
  • 28 hours per every 7 days

The weekly number of leisure hours cannot be reduced. It is possible to agree on a shorter off-duty period per 24 hours if the employee is given an equivalent period of rest (hour for hour). This period of rest must be taken no later than after finishing the second work period. For example, an employee may work 16 hours, take 8 hours off, and then work another 16 hours. However, they must then have an off-duty period of at least 14 hours (11 hours + 3 hours as compensation for a lost rest period).

Calculation on the basis of a fixed average

The normal working hours may be calculated on the basis of a fixed average. This means that you may work more than the limit for normal working hours during certain periods in exchange for working correspondingly shorter hours during other periods. The average number of hours worked must be within the limits for normal working hours.

Calculation on the basis of a fixed average may be agreed in writing between the employer and the employee, be laid down in a collective agreement between the employer and a group of employees or be practised in accordance with a dispensation granted by the Labour Inspection Authority.

Agreement between the employee and the employer:
For a period of up to one year, working hours may be distributed as follows:

  • 10 hours per 24 hours
  • 48 hours per 7 days

The limit of 48 hours per seven days may be calculated according to a fixed average over a period of eight weeks provided. But normal working hours shall not exceed 50 hours in a week.

However, the average number of hours in the period must not exceed the statutory limits for normal working hours.

Agreement between the employer and employees’ representatives in an undertaking bound by a collective pay agreement.
For a period of up to one year, working hours may be distributed as follows:

  • 12,5 hours per 24 hours
  • 48 hours per 7 days

The limit of 48 hours per seven days may be calculated according to a fixed average over a period of eight weeks provided. But normal working hours shall not exceed 54 hours in a week.

However, the average number of hours in the period must not exceed the statutory limits for normal working hours. Nor may extended working hours be worked continuously for more than eight weeks.

On the consent of the Labour Inspection Authority:

For a period of up to 26 weeks, working hours may be distributed as follows:

  • 13 hours per 24 hours
  • 48 hours per 7 days or 48 hours on average during a period of 8 weeks

However, the average number of hours in the period must not exceed the statutory limits for normal working hours.

Exemptions from the rules on working hours

In general, the rules on working hours apply to all employees. However, the Norwegian Working Environment Act stipulates the following exemptions for employees:

Managerial positions mean senior positions with clear management roles.

Examples of such roles are heads of departments, office managers and others

  • with major responsibility
  • who to a large extent can make independent decisions on behalf of the enterprise
  • who can make independent decisions regarding how much work is required and who can, to a large extent, determine their own working hours.

Positions with a high level of independence mean employees with no direct management functions, but who nevertheless hold senior positions and positions of responsibility.

This means employees who can choose how to prioritise their own tasks. They decide independently what to do, what to delegate to others, and when and how the work should be carried out.

Even if an employee is exempt from the rules on working hours, the working hours must still be arranged in such a way that the employee:

  • is not exposed to adverse physical or mental strain
  • is able to pay due regard to safety considerations.