Working Hours in Norway: 40-Hour Law, 37.5-Hour Standard

Norwegian working time rules live in Chapter 10 of the Arbeidsmiljøloven (Working Environment Act, AML) of 2005, amended several times since. Norway is not in the EU but follows the European Economic Area framework, which means the Working Time Directive applies through the EEA Agreement. The Norwegian rules are slightly tighter than the EU minimum in places (10-hour daily cap vs 13 in some EU countries) and more generous on protections for shift workers.

This post explains the Section 10 limits, the special rules for on-call and night work, and what Arbeidstilsynet (the Labour Inspectorate) checks during an inspection.

#Quick Reference

#The Core Rules

#Section 10-4: Normal Working Hours (40 by Law, 37.5 in Practice)

The AML caps normal working hours (alminnelig arbeidstid) at 40 hours per week. In practice, the dominant CBAs (LO/NHO, Hovedavtalen) set the standard working week at 37.5 hours, which is what most Norwegian employees actually work.

Daily cap is 9 hours for regular working time. Averaging under Section 10-5 can extend it: by written agreement with the worker to 10 hours a day and 48 a week, or, in a company bound by a collective agreement, by written agreement with the employee representatives to 12.5 hours a day and 48 a week. The 48-hour limit can itself be averaged over 8 weeks, with at most 50 hours (individual agreement) or 54 hours (representatives) in a single week.

For shift work and night work, the weekly cap drops: 38 hours per week for semi-continuous shift work (round-the-clock on weekdays) and 36 hours per week for fully continuous shift work that also runs on Sundays and holidays.

#Section 10-6: Overtime

Norwegian overtime rules are some of the strictest in Europe:

• Maximum 10 hours of overtime per single week
• Maximum 25 hours of overtime per 4-week period
• Maximum 200 hours of overtime per 52-week period

Overtime requires "special and time-limited need" of the employer. Workers can refuse overtime where it would cause hardship. Overtime pay must be at least 40 percent premium.

Trade union agreements can raise the cap to 300 hours in 52 weeks; on application, the labour inspectorate can allow up to 25 hours in 7 days and 200 hours in 26 weeks in special cases. The 200-hour baseline applies absent these arrangements.

#Section 10-8: Daily and Weekly Rest

• Daily rest: 11 consecutive hours per 24-hour period
• Weekly rest: 35 consecutive hours per 7-day period, preferably including Sunday

These align with the EU directive minimums.

#Section 10-9: Breaks

A break is required when the working day exceeds 5.5 hours. Breaks must total at least 30 minutes when the working day is at least 8 hours.

The break is normally unpaid but counts as working time if the worker cannot freely leave the workplace during it or there is no suitable break room. CBA practice varies.

#Special Categories

#Shift Workers (Section 10-4(4))

Workers on rotating or night shifts have a tighter weekly cap (38 hours for semi-continuous shift work, 36 hours for continuous shift work that runs on Sundays and holidays) and stricter rest pattern requirements. Shift schedules typically need worker representative approval.

#Night Workers (Section 10-11)

A night worker is someone normally working more than 3 hours in the night period (21:00 to 06:00 by default; CBAs may vary):

• Average 8 hours per 24-hour period over a 4-week reference
• Free health assessments before assignment and at regular intervals
• Right to transfer to day work on medical grounds

#On-Call Workers (Section 10-4(3))

A unique Norwegian feature: time when a worker is on call (whether at home or at the workplace) is counted against working time at a fraction:

• On call at workplace: 100 percent counts as working time
• On call at home (standby duty outside the workplace): as a rule, at least one-seventh (1/7, about 14 percent) counts as ordinary working time
• This fraction can be adjusted by written collective agreement or by a decision of the Labour Inspection Authority

This unique scheme has been litigated in EU courts (the Matzak ruling has nuanced it) but Norwegian practice continues to use the fractional approach for non-residential on-call.

#Senior Executives

AML Section 10-12 exempts senior executives with autonomous decision-making power. Defined narrowly.

#Annual Leave (Ferieloven)

The Ferieloven (1988) provides:

• 25 working days (virkedager, which include Saturdays) of leave per year, so 4 weeks and 1 day
• Employees can require 3 of those weeks (18 working days) in one block during the main vacation period (1 June to 30 September)
• Holiday pay (feriepenger) is paid in advance at 10.2 percent of last year's gross salary (12.5 percent for workers over 60). Where a collective agreement gives a fifth week, the rate usually rises to 12 percent; this comes from the collective agreements, not the Ferieloven

The statutory minimum is one day more than the EU directive's 4 weeks. Many employees get a fifth week through collective agreements.

#Record-Keeping

AML Section 10-7 requires an overview (oversikt) showing how much each employee has worked. Arbeidstilsynet says this applies whether employees are paid by the hour, a fixed salary or piece rates.

The duty predates the 2019 ECJ CCOO ruling. Arbeidstilsynet's guidance lists what the overview must show for each employee:

• Name, date, and daily start and end of working time
• Start and end of any overtime
• Breaks that count as working time
• Standby duty outside the workplace that counts as working time

The AML sets no retention period for the overview. It must be available to Arbeidstilsynet, the employees' representatives (tillitsvalgte) and, according to Arbeidstilsynet, the employee. Separate bookkeeping rules apply where pay is based on hours worked: the Bookkeeping Regulations (bokføringsforskriften) require the date, the hours worked that day and the total for the period, kept for 3 years and 6 months after the end of the financial year. Businesses that bill clients by the hour must also document each person's hours per day and per client, with the same retention period.

#The Arbeidstilsynet

Arbeidstilsynet (the Labour Inspection Authority) enforces the AML. It has wide powers:

• Inspect any workplace without notice
• Require production of records on demand
• Issue immediate halt orders for severe risks
• Refer cases to the police for criminal prosecution

Penalties under AML Chapters 18 and 19:

Most inspections result in pålegg (orders) requiring remediation rather than immediate fines, with fines escalating if the order is ignored.

#Practical Compliance Checklist

1. Establish the applicable CBA. With about 70 percent of all employees under CBAs (all of the public sector, about half of the private sector), many employers operate under one.
2. Track daily start, end, and breaks for every worker. Arbeidstilsynet's guidance asks for daily start and end times.
3. Separate overtime by category. Single week, 4-week period, 52-week period. Each has its own cap.
4. Document on-call time correctly. Use the right fraction for the worker's response-time profile.
5. Honor the 11-hour daily rest and 35-hour weekly rest. Schedule them explicitly.
6. Keep hour records that determine pay for 3 years and 6 months after the financial year. That is the bookkeeping rule; the AML itself sets no retention period.

#Common Questions

Are senior managers exempt? Only those genuinely autonomous, narrowly defined. Department managers are not exempt.

What is the difference between AML and CBA rules? The AML is the statutory floor. CBAs typically improve on it (37.5-hour week, 5 weeks of leave, additional breaks). Always read both.

Can I require workers to be on call? Yes, but on-call time counts against working time at the fractional rates in Section 10-4(3). Excessive on-call can trigger overtime caps.

Are there Sunday work restrictions? Sunday work is restricted by the AML Section 10-10 to defined cases (healthcare, security, transport, etc.). CBA may add restrictions.

Are the 25 days of leave separate from public holidays? Yes. Norway has 10 public holidays plus 2 fixed leave days (May 1 and May 17). These are separate from the 25 working days.

#Summary

• The Arbeidsmiljøloven sets a 40-hour weekly cap, 9-hour daily, 11-hour daily rest, 35-hour weekly rest
• Overtime tightly capped: 10/week, 25/4-week, 200/52-week baseline
• On-call time counts fractionally against working time
• 25 working days (4 weeks and 1 day) of leave under the Ferieloven, with 3 weeks claimable in summer
• Records show daily start and end times; hours that determine pay are kept 3 years and 6 months under the bookkeeping rules
• Arbeidstilsynet enforces; administrative fines up to 50 G or 4 percent of annual turnover

#Sources

• Arbeidsmiljøloven on lovdata.no
• Ferieloven on lovdata.no
• Arbeidstilsynet working time guidance
• Bokføringsforskriften on lovdata.no
• Arbeidstilsynet on recording working time

#Where to Go Next

• Sweden's Arbetstidslagen: working hours rules for the closest Nordic comparison
• The EU Working Time Directive explained for the framework Norway applies through the EEA Agreement
• The ECJ CCOO ruling: why time tracking is mandatory for the EU ruling on recording daily working time