On Monday, March 16, 2020, a majority of Stortinget (Parliament) agreed on the first part of the economic package of measures related to the coronavirus outbreak. For employers, six measures are particularly relevant.
The six measures are:
- Employees who are temporary laid off are guaranteed full pay up to 6G through day 20. The employer's duty to pay wages upon temporary layoff is reduced to two days. The state assumes responsibility for paying employee wages for the last 18 days
- After day 20 of the lay-off period, the employees who are temporary laid off are secured an income of 80 percent of the unemployment benefit basis up to 3G. For income from 3G up to 6G, unemployment benefit amounts to 62, 4 per cent. Income above 6G is not included in the unemployment benefit basis
- The income limit for entitlement to unemployment benefit is reduced from today's 1.5G to 0.75G
- The employer period for payment of sick pay associated with the coronavirus is reduced to three days. Self-employed persons and freelancers will be paid sickness benefits from day four. The level of sickness money is the same as today
- Self-employed and freelancers should receive temporary income protection equivalent to 80 per cent of the average of the last three years of income upwards limited to 6G. The compensation occurs from day 17 after the loss of income
- Stortinget (Parliament) proposes to double the scheme with care days. The employer period for payment of care allowance is reduced to three days. Self-employed persons and freelancers will receive care allowance from day three
The measures will come into force as soon as they are dealt with by Stortinget (Parliament) for the second time on Thursday, March 19, 2020 and sanctioned by the King in Council.
The changes will also apply to temporary layoffs that have been implemented before the law amendment, see the Government's measures - changes to the layoff rules here (news 13 March 2020).
Please feel free to contact us if your business needs customization due to the coronavirus outbreak.
