NORWAY Trends and Developments
the employee belongs to a profession where specific health and safety requirements apply. Employers who practise company-specific age limits today may continue to apply these until 31 May 2025. After this date, employees are protected against dis - missals due to age until they are 72 years old. New measures to combat workplace crime from 1 July 2025 As of 1 July 2025, the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority has been granted expanded tools to uncover and combat workplace crime, following amendments to Chapter 18 of the Working Environment Act. These changes enable the authority to secure evidence dur - ing inspections, impose significant fines on individuals and gather information from third parties. Addition - ally, the Labour Inspection Authority can now request police assistance during inspections. • Expanded authority to impose fines – The Labour Inspection Authority can impose fines directly during inspections, provided there are clear and observable violations. The statute of limitations for imposing such fines has been extended from two to five years. • Fines for individuals – Starting 1 July 2025, the Labour Inspection Authority can impose fines on individuals who effectively lead the business, such as owners or managers, if they have intentionally or grossly negligently violated provisions of the Work - ing Environment Act. The fine can amount to up to 25 times the basic amount in the National Insur - ance Scheme (NOK3,254,000). • Police assistance requirement – The Labour Inspection Authority can request police assistance in conducting inspections and enforcing decisions, without needing to file a police report or request a temporary injunction. • Securing evidence during inspections – The Labour Inspection Authority has been granted expanded powers to secure evidence without the consent of the object of the inspection, by obtaining a court order. Evidence can be secured if there is a likeli - hood of violations of the Working Environment Act, and it must be necessary and not disproportion - ately intrusive.
• Expanded right to use physical force – Inspectors can enter workplaces using physical force, includ - ing cutting locks or calling a locksmith. • Gathering information from third parties – The Labour Inspection Authority can gather necessary information from third parties, such as suppliers or customers, when deemed proportionate. This helps ensure the case is properly informed. The Labour Inspection Authority has observed that workplace crime is evolving with more professional and complex methods, harming employees and busi - nesses. The amendments aim to address serious vio - lations and protect employees. Amendments to the National Insurance Act In June 2025, the Norwegian Parliament adopted several amendments to Chapter 13 of the National Insurance Act concerning occupational injury cover - age. The new amendments have not yet come into force. Norwegian legislation is based on a dual-track system for occupational injury coverage, consisting of special benefits under the National Insurance Act for occupational injuries and diseases, and a manda - tory occupational injury insurance scheme requiring employers to insure their employees. Certain occu - pational diseases may be equated with occupational injuries, entitling affected individuals to both social security benefits and compensation. However, this requires that the specific disease is included in the lists of occupational diseases. Key points of the legislative amendments • Safety valve – A safety valve has been introduced to ensure flexibility in the occupational disease regulations in response to a constantly evolving labour market. This valve is linked to the provisions of the National Insurance Act and aims to mitigate the rigidity of the listing system. Previously, only the Occupational Injury Insurance Act including a safety valve qualified, but now a common valve has been established for both frameworks, contributing to harmonisation and simplification. • Advisory committee – An advisory committee on occupational diseases will be established to regu - larly assess which diseases should be included on the list. Appointed by the Ministry, the commit - tee will work closely with the medical community
418 CHAMBERS.COM
Powered by FlippingBook