Working Hours and Overtime in Norway

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Norway?

An employee whose age is 15 or younger has a maximum of 2 hours per day and 12 hours per week. An employee whose age is 18 or older is allowed to work 40 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 30 minutes must be observed by employees who work more than 5.5 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 08:00 to 16:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Norway

Under the Norwegian Working Environment Act, the general limit for normal working hours is 9 hours per 24-hour period and 40 hours per 7-day week. Many collective agreements reduce the weekly limit to 37.5 hours, and you must check whether such an agreement applies to your workforce. You are responsible for ensuring that agreed schedules never exceed the statutory or collectively agreed limits.

Working time can be averaged over a reference period by written agreement with employees or their representatives, but the average may not exceed 9 hours per day and 40 hours per week over the agreed period. When using flexible or shift arrangements, you must still respect mandatory daily and weekly rest rules and keep accurate time records. Any work beyond the agreed normal hours is treated as overtime and triggers overtime rules.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules. In these sectors, you can often use longer daily shifts, such as compressed workweeks or 12-hour shifts, provided that average weekly limits and rest periods are respected. Collective agreements in these industries frequently regulate shift patterns, rotation, and compensation in more detail than the statute.

• Healthcare professionals may work 12-hour shifts with extended rest periods.
• Transport workers must comply with EU-aligned rest and driving limits.
• Manufacturing and security staff often rotate through night or weekend shifts.

Even in these sectors, you must ensure the average weekly limit is respected over a reference period. You should document any special arrangements in writing and verify that they are permitted by law or collective agreement. Failure to do so can expose your company to enforcement action and claims for back pay.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Employees in leading positions or particularly independent roles may be exempt from the statutory rules on working hours and overtime in Norway. To rely on this exemption, the employee must genuinely control their own working time and have a level of responsibility and pay that reflects this independence. You should define the exempt status, expectations, and compensation clearly in the employment contract.

Even for exempt employees, you must safeguard health and safety by preventing unreasonable workloads and ensuring adequate rest. Misclassifying employees as exempt when they do not meet the legal criteria can lead to retroactive overtime claims. Regularly review senior and specialist roles to confirm that their actual duties still justify exemption.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Norway

Statutory full-time work in Norway is generally based on 40 hours per week, although many collective agreements set full-time at 37.5 hours. Normal daily working time is typically 7.5 to 8 hours, excluding unpaid meal breaks, within the standard daytime window. You should specify in contracts whether working hours are based on statutory or collectively agreed norms.

Part-time, shift, and flexible arrangements are permitted as long as they comply with the overall limits on daily and weekly hours. Any systematic use of long shifts or irregular patterns should be assessed for health and safety risks and discussed with employee representatives. Written schedules and predictable working-time frameworks help demonstrate compliance and support workforce planning.

Overtime Regulations In Norway

As an employer in Norway, you must ensure that overtime is only used when there is a temporary and exceptional need and that it stays within strict legal limits. You are required to keep accurate records of all hours worked, including overtime, for each employee. Non-compliance with overtime rules can result in orders from the Labour Inspection Authority, back-pay liabilities, and administrative fines.

What Counts As Overtime In Norway?

Overtime in Norway is any work performed beyond the employee’s agreed normal working hours, typically above 9 hours per day or 40 hours per week, or above lower limits set by a collective agreement. For employees covered by a 37.5-hour week, hours between 37.5 and 40 may be treated as additional hours by agreement, while hours beyond the agreed normal time are overtime. Work performed on Sundays, public holidays, or during night hours can also be overtime if it exceeds the normal schedule.

Overtime must be exceptional and linked to temporary needs such as unforeseen workload peaks, staff shortages, or urgent maintenance. You cannot use overtime to compensate for chronic understaffing or poor planning. Employees generally have a right to refuse overtime that is unreasonable or poses a health and safety risk.

Maximum Overtime In Norway

The general statutory cap on overtime in Norway is 10 hours within 7 days, 25 hours within 4 consecutive weeks, and 200 hours within 52 weeks per employee. Within these limits, you may order overtime when there is a temporary need, provided you respect daily and weekly rest requirements. You must monitor each employee’s accumulated overtime to ensure these thresholds are not exceeded.

By written agreement with employee representatives, total overtime can be increased up to 20 hours per 7 days and 50 hours per 4 weeks, but the annual limit may still not exceed 300 hours per 52 weeks. With approval from the Labour Inspection Authority, overtime can be extended further in special cases, but the authority will rarely allow more than 25 hours per 7 days and 400 hours per 52 weeks. Regardless of approvals, you must always ensure that total working time, including overtime, does not endanger employees’ health.

Overtime Payout Rates In Norway

Norwegian law requires that overtime be compensated with a pay premium of at least 40% above the employee’s ordinary hourly rate, meaning a minimum of 1.4x pay for overtime hours. Many collective agreements provide higher premiums, such as 50% (1.5x) for weekday overtime and 100% (2.0x) for overtime on Sundays and public holidays. You must always apply the most favourable applicable rate, whether statutory or collectively agreed.

For work on Sundays and public holidays that is also overtime, the premium is typically at least 100% (2.0x) under collective agreements, and you must check the specific terms that apply to your sector. Some agreements also grant higher rates, such as 50% or 100%, for overtime performed at night between 21:00 and 06:00. Ensure that your payroll system correctly distinguishes between normal hours, overtime, and overtime on nights, Sundays, and holidays so that the correct numerical premiums are paid.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Norway

In Norway, standard working hours are generally up to 9 hours per day and 40 hours per week, although many employees work 7.5 hours per day and 37.5 hours per week under collective agreements. Rest periods and breaks are designed to fit within these daily and weekly limits so that employees have sufficient time off to recover. As an employer, you must plan schedules so that statutory breaks, daily rest, and weekly rest are always respected alongside normal working hours.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 5.5 hours in a day are entitled to a break of at least 30 minutes, and the break must be counted as working time if the employee cannot freely leave the workplace. In practice, many Norwegian workplaces provide a 30-minute unpaid lunch break within a 7.5 or 8-hour day.
• Daily Rest: Employees must have at least 11 consecutive hours of rest in every 24-hour period, normally including the hours between 21:00 and 06:00. Only in exceptional and temporary situations, and usually by agreement, can this daily rest be reduced, and any reduction must be compensated with equivalent rest.
• Weekly Rest: Employees are entitled to at least 35 consecutive hours of rest each week, which should include Sunday whenever possible. If work on Sunday is necessary, you must provide a substitute continuous rest period on another day.
• Minors: Workers under 18 benefit from stricter rules, including shorter maximum daily and weekly hours and longer rest periods. For example, minors must generally have at least 12 consecutive hours of daily rest and are subject to tighter limits on evening and night work.
• Employer Duty: You are responsible for organising work so that breaks and rest periods are actually taken and not just theoretically available. This includes documenting working hours, consulting with employee representatives on schedules, and adjusting staffing if rest requirements are regularly at risk.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Norway

Night and weekend work are legal in Norway but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must assess whether such work is necessary, evaluate health and safety risks, and consult with employee representatives where required. In many sectors, collective agreements impose stricter rules and higher premiums for night and weekend work than the statutory minimum.

Night work in Norway is generally defined as work performed between 21:00 and 06:00, although collective agreements may specify a slightly different window such as 22:00 to 06:00. Regular night work is more tightly regulated, and you must justify its necessity and ensure that employees receive adequate rest and monitoring. Certain categories of workers, such as pregnant employees and minors, have additional protections and restrictions on night work.

• Premium Pay: There is no statutory numerical night work premium in Norway, but many collective agreements grant supplements of around 25% to 40% (1.25x to 1.4x) of the ordinary hourly wage for night hours, and some sectors pay fixed kroner-per-hour additions. You must follow the exact numerical rates in the applicable collective agreement or individual contract and ensure they are clearly reflected in payroll.
• Health Monitoring: For employees who regularly work at night, you are expected to offer health assessments to identify any adverse effects of night work. If a doctor finds that night work is harmful to an employee’s health, you should, where possible, transfer the employee to suitable day work.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors are generally prohibited from night work, with those under 18 facing strict limits on work after evening hours. Pregnant workers and employees with particular health conditions may be entitled to adjustments, reassignment, or exemption from night work if it poses a risk.

Weekend work, especially on Sundays and public holidays, is restricted and should only be used where the nature of the work makes it necessary, such as in healthcare, hospitality, or continuous-process industries. When Sunday or public holiday work is also overtime, collective agreements commonly require premiums of 50% to 100% (1.5x to 2.0x) on top of the ordinary hourly wage, and you must also provide substitute rest days to maintain the minimum 35-hour weekly rest.