The Norwegian Holidays Act of 29 April 1988 No. 21 (ferieloven) governs the right of employees in Norway to annual holiday and holiday pay. The Act sets minimum standards that, as a rule, cannot be departed from to the detriment of the employee. This article gives an overview of the main rules on the length of the holiday, scheduling, illness, holiday pay and the employer’s liability, and is written for employers and employees in Norway.
Scope and Mandatory Character
Under Section 2, the Act applies to anyone who performs work for and under the direction of another, that is, to employees in both the private and public sectors. Special rules may be laid down for employees on ships, and the Act may be applied to Svalbard by regulation.
Under Section 3, the Act cannot be departed from to the detriment of the employee unless a provision expressly permits it. An agreement that departs from the Act to the employee’s detriment must be made in writing. An employer bound by a collective agreement that departs from the Act may apply it to all employees performing work covered by the agreement, provided a majority of them are bound by it.
Length of the Holiday
Under Section 5, the employer must ensure that the employee is given 25 working days of holiday each holiday year. Working days are all days that are not Sundays or public holidays, which means that 25 working days correspond to four weeks and one day. The holiday year follows the calendar year (Section 4).
Additional rules apply:
an employee who turns 60 during the holiday year is entitled to six extra working days of holiday, giving a total of 31 working days;
an employee who starts work no later than 30 September is entitled to the full holiday, while an employee who starts later is entitled to six working days; and
the employee may refuse to take holiday that is not covered by holiday pay, which is particularly relevant in the first year of employment.
Many employees have a fifth week of holiday, but this follows from collective agreements or individual employment contracts, not from the Act itself. Under Section 15, the King may extend the statutory holiday by up to five working days.
Scheduling of the Holiday
Under Section 6, the employer must discuss the timing of the holiday with the employee or the employee’s representatives in good time. If no agreement is reached, the employer determines the timing within the limits of Sections 7 to 9. The employee is entitled to be informed of the timing of the holiday as early as possible and no later than two months before it begins, unless special circumstances prevent this. An employee over 60 decides when to take the extra holiday, unless otherwise agreed, but must notify the employer at least two weeks in advance.
The Main Holiday and Remaining Holiday
Under Section 7, the employee may require a main holiday of 18 working days to be given during the main holiday period from 1 June to 30 September. This does not apply to an employee who starts work after 15 August in the holiday year. The remaining holiday of seven working days may be required to be given in one continuous period within the holiday year.
Carrying Over and Advancing Holiday
The employer and employee may agree in writing to advance up to 12 working days of holiday and to carry over up to 12 working days to the following holiday year. Holiday that has not been taken because of breaches of the Act or because of illness or parental leave must be carried over. Where the failure to take holiday is due to the employer, the employee may also claim compensation under Section 14.
Holiday During the Notice Period
Under Section 8, where the employer has given notice of termination, the employer may not schedule holiday during the notice period without the employee’s consent, unless the notice period is three months or longer. Where the employee has resigned, holiday may be scheduled during the notice period on the ordinary conditions.
Illness and Parental Leave
Under Section 9, an employee who becomes fully unable to work before the holiday may require the holiday to be postponed until later in the holiday year. The claim must be documented by a medical certificate and made no later than the last working day before the holiday.
An employee who has been fully unable to work during the holiday may require a corresponding number of working days to be postponed and given as new holiday later in the holiday year. The claim must be documented by a medical certificate and made without undue delay after returning to work.
The employer may not, without the employee’s consent, schedule holiday during parental leave with parental benefit under the National Insurance Act.
Holiday Pay
During the holiday, the employee receives holiday pay (feriepenger) instead of ordinary salary. Under Section 4, holiday pay is earned in the preceding calendar year (the accrual year).
Under Section 10:
holiday pay is 10.2 per cent of the basis for holiday pay, which is the remuneration for work paid in the accrual year;
reimbursement of expenses, benefits in kind and certain other payments do not form part of the basis;
for employees who are entitled to extra holiday after turning 60, the rate is increased by 2.3 percentage points, to 12.5 per cent; and
the increased rate does not apply to the part of the basis that exceeds six times the National Insurance basic amount (G).
Under Section 11, holiday pay is paid on the last ordinary payday before the holiday or, at the employee’s request, no later than one week before the holiday begins. When the employment ends, all earned holiday pay is paid on the last ordinary payday before the employee leaves. Collective agreements often provide for higher rates and other payment arrangements.
Transfer of Undertaking and Liability
If the business changes owner, the new owner takes over the previous owner’s obligation to grant holiday and pay holiday pay, while claims earned with the previous owner may still be made against that owner (Section 12).
Under Section 14, an employer that intentionally or negligently fails to ensure that the employee receives holiday and holiday pay in accordance with the Act must pay compensation. The compensation covers financial loss and reasonable compensation for loss of welfare, but may be reduced where it would be reasonable for the employee to bear part of the loss. The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority provides guidance on the Act (Section 13).
How we can help
We assist employers with holiday planning, holiday pay, collective agreement questions and disputes about holiday rights. You can read more about the firm at advokats.no or get in touch through our contact page.
This article provides general information as of 29 October 2026 and is not legal advice for your specific situation.
