Browse through brief employment and labor law updates from around the globe. Contact a Littler attorney for more information or view our global locations.

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Limitation on Temporary Employment

New Legislation Enacted

Author: Ole Kristian Olsby, Partner – Homble Olsby | Littler

The current possibility to use temporary employment for up to 12 months without having to document a justified cause prescribed by law, is repealed from July 1, 2022.

Employer’s Duty to Pay Salary the First Part of a Temporary Layoff

New Legislation Enacted

Author: Ole Kristian Olsby, Partner – Homble Olsby | Littler

From March 1, 2022, the employer’s duty to pay salary to employees who are temporarily laid off was extended from the previous 10 days to 15 days.

Can Employees on Sick Leave Demand a Change from Full-time to Part-time Position?

Precedential Decision by Judiciary or Regulatory Agency

Author: Ole Kristian Olsby, Partner – Homble Olsby | Littler

One of the questions to determine whether a termination of an employee on sick leave is lawful is whether the employer has fulfilled their duty to make the necessary adaptions for that employee. The question before the Supreme Court was whether this duty to adapt included dividing the employee’s previous full time, permanent position, to two 50 % part-time, permanent positions. The court concluded negatively in this specific matter and stated that the employer’s duty to adapt does not require them to implement a permanent change in the position and organizational structure.

Amendment of Regulations Concerning Home Office

New Regulation or Official Guidance

Author: Ole Kristian Olsby, Partner – Homble Olsby | Littler

The current regulation provides the minimum requirements of a written and individual agreement between the employer and an employee for employees who may work from home, e.g., time and number of hours per week/month. The regulations have been amended to empower the Labor Inspection Authority to supervise compliance with these requirements.

Further, the amended regulations now limit employees’ possibility to work from home after 9:00 P.M. and during weekends; clarify situations where a written agreement is not required (when home office is ordered or recommended by the government); and place emphasis on the fact that an employer’s responsibilities for employees working from home also include the psychosocial working environment. The amendments are in force from July 1, 2022.

Proposal Concerning Harassment in the World of Work

Proposed Bill or Initiative

Author: Ole Kristian Olsby, Partner – Homble Olsby | Littler

The government has issued a consultation paper where they propose to ratify ILO Convention no. 190 to eliminate violence and harassment in the workplace. In addition, they state a desire to have an offensive gender equality policy. The government also proposes to introduce a duty for employers to have policies concerning harassment and sexual harassment in the workplace and to clarify the safety representative’s duty to ensure that the psychosocial working environment of employees are safeguarded. The consultation paper is sent on a public hearing round with deadline for statements on June 8, 2022.