In its decision of December 8th 2015, the Supreme Court found that it was justifiable according to law that an undertaking dismissed an employee because his department was closed down. The Supreme Court stated that it was not necessary to assess the entire undertaking when selecting which employee to dismiss, as it was sufficient to […]
Nov
20
2015
Low Oil Prices lead to Dismissals in Norway
As a result of low oil prices impacting operations, Norway has seen an increase in dismissals.
Nov
20
2015
Court holds Couple and Hospital responsible for Violating Norwegian Act of Conveying Work
The Supreme Court found that a married couple, who had assisted nurses from the Philippines to Norway for work in hospitals, had broken the Norwegian Act of Conveying Work. The couple had charged an unreasonable amount of money for bringing the nurses to Norway and for helping them with finding a job, renting an apartment, […]
Sep
22
2015
Norway: Travel Time from Home to the First and Last Customer is regarded as Working Time (ECJ)
The Court of Justice of the European Union issued a judgment regarding the Working Time Directive on Thursday the 10th of September. The Directive is part of the EEA agreement and will therefore have an impact on Norwegian legislation. The Court found that where workers do not have a fixed or habitual place of work, […]
Jul
21
2015
Proposal to Regulate Competition Clauses in the Working Environment Act in Norway
The Ministry of Employment has proposed to regulate competition clauses in the Working Environment Act. Currently, this is regulated by the Law of Contract. However, the assertion is that the existing regulation is not adequately precise. This new proposal entails an enjoinment of the current rules and includes a set of conditions that require written […]
May
29
2015
Changes in The Working Environment Act to Come Into Force on 1st July
Changes in The Working Environment Act will come into force from the 1th of July this year and will allow employers to hire temporary workers without any specific reason (contrary to the main rule which is that all employees shall be hired on a permanent basis). The intention is to give people outside the working […]
May
29
2015
Norwegian Supreme Court Ruling on Law Firm Liabilities
On the 5th of May, the Norwegian Supreme Court decided that a law firm could be held accountable for liabilities caused by their partners, even though the claimants had not been clients of the firm. A former partner in the firm had willfully and systematically acquired values in form of shares in family companies, which […]
Apr
08
2015
Annual Publication 2015: Employment Litigation: Procedures, Remedies and Best Practices
For employers with operations in multiple jurisdictions, litigation over disputes related to employment matters is a very real concern, which applies to every sector of industry, in every region of the world. This comprehensive publication includes contributions from 18 L&E Global firms and will be a valuable resource for all HR professionals.
Jan
22
2015
Scandinavia at a Glance
The Scandinavian countries of Norway, Denmark and Sweden are vital to the global economy. Combined, they employ more than 13 million people and all three are ranked in the top 35 countries with the highest GDP. Despite the similarities though, when it comes to employment law, there are very important distinctions to consider. As such, […]
Jul
10
2014
The Supreme Court of Norway: employment case against Ryanair can be tried by Norwegian courts, even though the employment agreement states otherwise
The Irish low-fare airline Ryanair’s employment practices were recently challenged by the Norwegian courts. On 20 June 2014, the Appeals Selection Committee of the Supreme Court of Norway unanimously rejected an appeal from Ryanair, claiming that an unfair dismissal lawsuit against Ryanair must be tried in Ireland, where the company is registered, and not in Norway, where the plaintiff lives and was located when she was dismissed. The ruling may have repercussions for Ryanair’s operations in Europe. It is also a reminder to other European employers that the contractual freedom may be limited in cross border employment relationships, with regard to the jurisdiction of national courts and choice of national employment law.