Norway has no statutory bereavement leave in the Working Environment Act. What you actually receive depends on your collective agreement: private sector LO/NHO employees are entitled to only 1 day, while public sector employees receive up to 3 days plus necessary travel days. If a family member is dying, you may be entitled to up to 60 days of paid leave from NAV (care benefit). This article explains everything you need to know – and what you should do now.
Bereavement Leave in Norway: Is There a Statutory Right?
The answer is no – and this comes as a surprise to many. The Working Environment Act (AML) contains no provision giving all employees the right to leave upon the death of a close family member. This sets Norway apart from several other countries and has long been the subject of political debate.
In Sweden, employees have a right to paid leave in connection with the funeral of a close relative, regulated through collective agreements. In Denmark, it is also not statutory, but agreements are more widespread. Finland introduced a statutory right to 5 days of family care leave in 2023. Norway lags behind in this regard.
Proposals have been put forward in the Storting to make bereavement leave statutory, particularly after the loss of a child or spouse. These proposals have so far not succeeded, partly because employer organisations argue this should be regulated through collective agreements – as it already is to some extent. The consequence for you as an employee is that your entitlement depends entirely on which industry you work in and whether you are a union member.
In practice this means that if you work in a company without a collective agreement and your individual employment contract contains no specific clauses, you legally have no statutory right to paid leave on the day you lose one of your nearest and dearest. Most employers grant compassionate leave, but they are not required to do so.
What Collective Agreements Provide: Differences Between Sectors
Where the law is silent, collective agreements speak. And the differences are significant:
Private sector – LO/NHO agreement (the Main Agreement): Employees covered by the LO/NHO agreement are entitled to 1 paid day off for the funeral of a close family member. 'Close family' typically includes spouse/cohabiting partner, children, parents, siblings and parents-in-law. There is no right to additional travel days, which can be very demanding if the funeral is held far away or abroad.
Central government – the Government Employees Act and collective agreement: Government employees are entitled to up to 3 paid days off for the funeral of a close family member, plus necessary travel days. Travel days are days spent on the actual journey to and from the place of the funeral – these are paid and do not count towards the 3 days.
Municipal sector – KS agreement: Municipal and county council employees follow the KS agreement and have the same rights as government employees: up to 3 days plus necessary travel days.
Spekter enterprises: Health trusts and other Spekter-affiliated enterprises operate under their own agreements, but most provide 3 days plus travel days for the funeral of a close family member.
What do 'necessary travel days' mean? These are days spent on the actual journey, not the days spent at the destination. If the funeral is in Tromsø and you work in Oslo, one travel day each way would typically be approved. If the funeral is in Poland and you need two days travelling each way, you can normally claim these two days as paid travel days in addition to the 3 bereavement days – but only in the public sector.
For private sector employees without a collective agreement and a funeral abroad: The legal minimum is zero. You have no statutory right to either a bereavement day or travel days. You depend on your employer's goodwill or your individual contract. Many employers are generous, but there is no guarantee. Always document any agreement in writing.
The Act's Leave Provisions for Illness and End of Life
Although the AML lacks specific bereavement leave rules, § 12-10 contains important rights relating to terminal care and caring responsibilities.
First paragraph – terminal home care (up to 60 days): If a close person is in the final stages of life and wishes to die at home, you as an employee are entitled to leave for up to 60 days to provide care. The term 'close person' is broadly defined and includes not only spouses and children, but also others with whom you have a close relationship – including friends for whom you have caring responsibility. If several family members wish to share caring responsibilities, the 60 days can be divided between them – but the total is 60 days per person being cared for.
Second paragraph – care for sick close relatives (up to 10 days per year): You are also entitled to up to 10 days' leave per year to care for sick close family members (this is separate from the right to leave for sick children). This applies, for example, if an elderly parent is ill and needs supervision.
Important: The Act provides the right to leave, but not to pay. Pay during such leave may come from NAV (see the next section on care benefits) or from collective agreements/your employer's own provisions.
Care Benefit in the Final Stage of Life: Full Pay from NAV
Here is the good news: even though the Act does not provide pay during terminal care leave, NAV's care benefit compensates for this. From May 2026, the maximum compensation is 100% of salary up to 6G, which amounts to 819,294 NOK per year (6 × 136,549 NOK).
The care benefit for the final stage of life is a separate benefit from the ordinary care benefit for sick children and applies to terminal care of adult close persons. How to apply:
- A specialist or hospital confirms in writing that the person is in the final stage of life.
- You apply via nav.no – the application can be submitted digitally.
- The application can be divided into periods of 14 days at a time without needing a new medical certificate for each period.
- You can apply retrospectively for up to 3 months.
If you have questions, call NAV's guidance telephone on 55 55 33 33 (weekdays 09–15). NAV advisors can also help you understand whether you are entitled to the benefit and how to apply correctly.
Funeral Grant: Help with Funeral Costs
The funeral grant is a separate NAV benefit not linked to leave, but one that many people are unaware of. The grant is means-tested and given as a one-off payment if the deceased had low income and limited assets in the estate. The grant is intended to cover part of the funeral costs and is applied for after the death at NAV.
This benefit is particularly relevant if the deceased had not accumulated savings, or if the cost of a funeral exceeds what the family can bear. Applications are submitted via nav.no and are normally processed within a few weeks.
Bereavement Leave and Sick Leave: Can the Doctor Help?
Grief is not a diagnosis in the medical sense, and a GP cannot write a sick note solely because you are grieving. This is a point that causes confusion for many.
However: if the grief reaction is so severe that it produces mental health symptoms equivalent to a medical condition – for example serious depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances or post-traumatic stress reaction – the doctor can use relevant diagnostic codes and write a sick note. It is the symptoms and level of functioning that determine this, not the grief itself.
When should you see a doctor in connection with grief? If after a few weeks you find that you cannot function in daily life, cannot eat or sleep normally, have persistent thoughts of self-harm, or feel that life is not worth living, you should contact your GP immediately. Your GP can both help with treatment and issue a sick note if there is a medical basis for it.
How to Notify Your Employer and Apply for Leave
Practice varies depending on the type of leave:
Short bereavement leave (1–3 days, collective agreement-based): Verbal notification to your immediate manager is normally sufficient. Inform them of the bereavement and the dates you need off. You do not need to provide details about who has died or the cause, but you should state that you are claiming leave in accordance with the applicable collective agreement.
Longer leave for terminal care (AML § 12-10): Submit a written application to HR or your immediate manager. Attach confirmation from a specialist or hospital. State the expected duration. Apply for the care benefit from NAV at the same time.
Collective agreement-based leave: Explicitly reference the relevant collective agreement in your application. If a dispute arises about the extent, contact your union representative.
You have no obligation to share details about who has died, the cause of death or your personal situation beyond what is necessary to document your right to leave.
Immigrants: Funerals Abroad and Families in Two Countries
For many immigrants in Norway, the situation is particularly demanding: close family often lives in the home country, and a funeral there may require a week or more away from work.
As mentioned, private sector employees without a collective agreement have no statutory right to travel days. Here is the advice:
- Talk to your employer as early as possible. Many Norwegian employers understand the situation and will go out of their way to accommodate you, but this is easier to arrange if you raise the need promptly.
- Agree in writing. Whatever you agree on, get it confirmed in writing via email.
- Public sector: If you are employed in central or local government, you are entitled to travel days – use them.
- Risk of undocumented absence: If the absence is not properly covered by leave or sick note, you risk a deduction in salary or, in the worst case, dismissal. This is particularly important if you are on a temporary contract.
- Residence permit: A shorter lawful stay abroad in connection with a funeral normally does not affect the residence permit, but if you are in the middle of an application process, check with UDI that the trip does not breach the conditions.
- NAV and care benefit: NAV care benefits are only available if the care takes place in Norway. If you travel to your home country to care for a dying family member there, you are not entitled to Norwegian care benefits.
Mental Health Support During Grief
Grief is a natural human response, but it can also become overwhelming. Norway has several services for those who are struggling:
- Your GP is the first point of contact and can refer you to a psychologist or psychiatric service.
- Mental Helse Hjelpetelefon: 116 123 – open around the clock, free, in Norwegian and English.
- Kirkens SOS: 22 40 00 40 – free, all religions and life views.
- The National Association for Unexpected Child Death (LUB): Support specifically for parents who have lost a child.
- National Support Telephone for Bereaved by Suicide: 22 36 17 00.
For more on mental health and support services in Norway, read our own article on mental health. You can also read about trade unions and how they can help you in such a situation.
Remember: seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Norway has excellent services – use them.
