Night work in Norway is work between 21.00 and 06.00. It is only legal when the nature of the job makes it necessary, and you have a right to rest, breaks and a safe work schedule. See also the topic labour immigration when you are new to working life in Norway.

When is night work legal?

As a general rule, night work is not permitted. The employer must be able to show that the nature of the work makes night work necessary. This can include work in a nursing home, hotel, cleaning, transport, industry or a service that must remain open around the clock.

Under the Working Environment Act, night work means work between 21.00 and 06.00. It is important to distinguish night work from shift work. Two shifts that are both between 06.00 and 24.00 are not considered night work under the Act. This is a specific exception in section 10-11 of the Working Environment Act. You can therefore work shifts without being a night worker in the legal sense.

Before the employer introduces night work, the need must be discussed with the employee representatives. At a workplace covered by a collective agreement, the employer and employee representatives may in some cases make a written agreement on night work when the need is special and time-limited. An agreement still cannot make an unsafe schedule safe.

The duty roster must show when you are going to work. Keep it, especially when shifts are exchanged or changed. A work schedule is useful if you later need to compare your hours with the rules on working hours and overtime.

Rest time between shifts

As a general rule, you have a right to at least 11 consecutive hours off during every 24-hour period. You also generally have a right to at least 35 consecutive hours off during every seven-day period. This is rest time, not merely time without a shift shown in an app.

For shift and rota work, agreements may allow time to be distributed differently. A collective agreement can permit shorter rest, but daily rest cannot be reduced below 8 hours and weekly rest cannot be reduced below 28 hours. When daily rest is shortened, you must receive corresponding compensatory rest. It must be provided as soon as possible and no later than after the second work period.

Example: If you finish late in the evening and must report early the next morning, it is not enough for the workplace to say that this is normal in the rota. Check the actual times. If rest has been reduced under a valid agreement, there must be a plan for the rest you receive in return. The employer is responsible for ensuring that the work schedule is safe for health and safety.

If you regularly work more than three hours at night, ordinary working hours must not average more than eight hours during each 24-hour period. The average is calculated over four weeks. For work involving particular risk or considerable physical or mental strain, the limit is eight hours in every 24-hour period. This is important protection for many night workers.

Breaks during night and shift work

You have a right to at least one break when the working day is longer than 5.5 hours. When the working day is 8 hours or more, the breaks must total at least 30 minutes. A break must provide a real opportunity to eat and rest, and it should normally be placed around the middle of the shift.

A break is not always free time. If you cannot freely leave the workplace, or there is no satisfactory dining or break room, the break must count as working time. This is especially important on a night shift when you must be ready to respond to an alarm, telephone call or a service user's needs.

You should therefore record when the shift begins and ends, and when you actually receive a break. The employer must keep a written and updated record of working hours and breaks for every employee. Among other things, the record must show the date, start and end times, overtime, and both paid and unpaid breaks. Also compare your payslip with the hours you have worked.

Are you entitled to a night or shift supplement?

You are not automatically entitled to a night supplement simply because you work at night. A night supplement and its amount are not set by the Working Environment Act. The right may be stated in your employment contract or in a collective agreement at the workplace. One important exception applies to employees of private cleaning businesses: they are entitled to a night supplement under the generally applicable regulations for the cleaning sector.

Read your employment contract and look for terms such as “night supplement”, “shift supplement”, “inconvenience supplement” or “collective agreement”. Ask which agreement applies to you. An employee representative or trade union can explain the text. You can also speak with the safety representative and learn about the working environment, but the safety representative's main role concerns health, safety and the working environment, not your personal pay dispute.

This must not be confused with overtime pay. Overtime has separate rules. An hour can be night work without being overtime, and an overtime hour can give rights other than a night supplement. Do not accept that an unclear “supplement” replaces payment to which you are actually entitled under law or an agreement.

When can you request exemption from night work?

You may have a right to exemption from night work if you regularly work at night, need an exemption, and it can be arranged without significant inconvenience to the business. The need may relate to health, social circumstances or other important welfare reasons. Several night shifts per month will normally be regular night work, but the assessment is individual.

Start by requesting a meeting and explain what you need. You can ask for a different rota or different duties. The employer should first consider adapting the working hours. If you disagree about the right to exemption, the case can be brought before Tvisteløsningsnemnda. Employees who mainly work at night must also be offered a health examination.

If a foreign employer has posted you to Norway, rules on working hours may still be important for you. Also read about rights as a posted worker. Ask for help early if the schedule is unsafe, rest is missing, or your hours are not recorded.

Check this before your next night shift

You do not need to know the entire law. Use this short list before you accept a new or changed rota:

  • Check whether the shift includes work between 21.00 and 06.00.
  • Make sure that you normally receive at least 11 hours off before the next shift.
  • Find out whether there is a written agreement or collective agreement that changes the rest time.
  • Read what the employment contract says about night, shift and inconvenience supplements.
  • Record your actual working hours and breaks when the duty roster does not match reality.
  • Contact an employee representative, safety representative or Arbeidstilsynet if you are unsure.

Night work may be necessary, but it must not become confusing or unsafe. At SamfunnPrep you can find simple guides to rights and everyday life in Norway. Many rules on work and rest are also useful when you learn about Norwegian society at SamfunnPrep.