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Katrine Olsson i dialog

Legal assistance

Our lawyers give you answers when you need them. We answer questions regarding legal challenges at work in addition to private matters.

Contact our legal department at tel. +47 22 94 75 00

Join Tekna

Employment law

As a member, you are entitled to receive free legal advice regarding all aspects of your employment contract and working conditions. Subject to a review of the individual case, we can both prepare and prosecute court cases.We help you in a wide range of areas including dismissal, layoffs, patent creation and intellectual property rights.

Contact us at [email protected] .

Private law

Tekna also offers free consultations on private legal issues, including family law, sales contracts, housing, and dealings with government agencies.

Contact us at [email protected]

Use of the service

The helpline for labor law is open from Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. You will hear from us within two days. In cases that require follow-up, you will be assigned a lawyer who will contact you.

To get legal assistance (follow-up of the case such as writing letters, contacting your employer/counterparty and legal proceedings) you must have been a member for at least six months before the issue for which you are seeking assistance arose.

Advice on straightforward legal issues is available to you from your first day of membership.

Legal emergency phone  +47 22 94 75 00

Q&A Our lawyers’ advice in your following worklife situations: 

Your employment contract checklist

Before starting any new job, you should have an employment contract which spells out the rights you and your employer each have with regard to your working relationship. You should read through your employment contract carefully before signing it.

Employment in the public sector

Hiring in the public sector is more rule-based than hiring in the private sector. This applies to the case handling, the process and the announcement. In addition, there is a requirement that the best qualified person must be hired. Therefore, you can never be overqualified in the public sector.

Leading or particularly independent positions

Be aware of the term “particularly independent position”. In practice, the terms “leading position” and “particularly independent position” often mean that you do not get overtime pay. Read more about the formal requirements for a position that does not have overtime pay.

Trial Periods

Probationary period with short notice period can also be an advantage for the employee, so that one can quit quickly if one does not enjoy the position or the workplace.

Hiring Discrimination

In the private sector, the starting point is that the employer can hire whoever she wants. However, this right is limited by discrimination rules in the Working Environment Act, the Equality Act, the Discrimination Act and the Discrimination and Accessibility Act.

Temporary Employment

The possibility of hiring temporarily is limited. The main rule in Norwegian law is that the employee should be hired permanently, that is, in a continuous and indefinite employment relationship.

Non-Competition Clauses

How about: A non-compete clause is an agreement that limits you in relation to competing businesses. It can apply both during and after the employment relationship. A typical example is an agreement point that says you cannot work for a competing business for 6 months after leaving.

Working abroad

Check what you should pay attention to before you sign an agreement. We can help you.

Salary

What is included in my salary and how is it adjusted? In addition to salary, the employee is entitled to overtime pay when she is required to work overtime, unless employees have a "leading" or "particularly independent position" where they do not receive overtime pay.

Questions you should ask about getting a bonus at work

Many Tekna members are part of a workplace bonus plan. Keep reading to learn more about bonuses:

Working Overtime While Living Abroad

Overtime that is worked on business trips abroad shall be included in the overtime account and shall be compensated according to the usual rates for such work.

Leading or particularly independent positions

Be aware of the term “particularly independent position”. In practice, the terms “leading position” and “particularly independent position” often mean that you do not get overtime pay. Read more about the formal requirements for a position that does not have overtime pay.

Remote Work

With remote work, it refers to work for the employer performed by the employee somewhere other than the traditional workplace. Remote work is voluntary for the affected employee and employer.

Intellectual property rights (IPR)

Almost all businesses have intellectual property rights, be it in the form of business and corporate secrets, know-how, patents, trademarks, designs, copyrights, company (name) or domain names.

Non-Competition Clauses

How about: A non-compete clause is an agreement that limits you in relation to competing businesses. It can apply both during and after the employment relationship. A typical example is an agreement point that says you cannot work for a competing business for 6 months after leaving.

Leading or particularly independent positions

Be aware of the term “particularly independent position”. In practice, the terms “leading position” and “particularly independent position” often mean that you do not get overtime pay. Read more about the formal requirements for a position that does not have overtime pay.

Travel time is work time

If an employer requires you to travel outside normal working hours to a different workplace than your usual one, is this then working time? Is it leisure time? Or is it travel time?

Travel expences

An employer’s management rights don’t include the right to force their employees to pay out of pocket for major travel expenses.

Written notice

A written warning in an employment relationship is one of the tools an employer has to correct unwanted or irregular behavior from an employee.

Whistleblowing in the Workplace

As an employee, you have the right to report critical conditions. Hired employees also have the right to report critical conditions in the business to the hirer.

Have you reached retirement age – but still want to keep working?

The pension reform has resulted in great flexibility in the possibilities of controlling how long you want to work. Here you get insight into the aspects you should familiarize yourself with before choosing how long you want to stay in work.

Working abroad

Read what you should consider if you are going to work abroad. We can help you.

Is my boss allowed to read my e-mail?

Unless they have a valid business reason for doing so, an employer can’t read an employee’s e-mail – or any other information that’s been stored on an electronic communication device such as a mobile phone.

Social media and employers

Two out of three of us are on social media every single day. Posts are published quickly and easily without having had any editor evaluate their content beforehand. Social media can give the impression that users are operating in their own private sphere – while the exact opposite may be true.

Intellectual property rights (IPR)

Almost all businesses have intellectual property rights, be it in the form of business and corporate secrets, know-how, patents, trademarks, designs, copyrights, company (name) or domain names.

Non-Competition Clauses

How about: A non-compete clause is an agreement that limits you in relation to competing businesses. It can apply both during and after the employment relationship. A typical example is an agreement point that says you cannot work for a competing business for 6 months after leaving.

Travel time is work time

If an employer requires you to travel outside normal working hours to a different workplace than your usual one, is this then working time? Is it leisure time? Or is it travel time?

Practical tips for new board members

Joining a board for the first time? – Here are some tips to get you started for new board members

Your employer’s management rights

An employer’s management rights are often defined as the right an employer has to hire and dismiss employees as well as manage, delegate and monitor their work. This right is often described as “residual knowledge” because the competence needed to decide and lead is limited by several factors.

What you should know if you’ve been laid off

Layoff means that the employee is temporarily exempt from the duty to work, while the employer is temporarily exempt from the obligation to pay wages.

Temporary lay-off notices to be sent out in connection with possible strikes

If there may be a strike in the Front Runner settlement or in the company, the company can issue a conditional layoff notice. What does that mean?

Written notice

A written warning in an employment relationship is one of the tools an employer has to correct unwanted or irregular behavior from an employee.

Employee suspension

Sometimes an employer chooses to remove an employee temporarily from their position (= suspend them). Many people feel this action is both upsetting and unreasonable.

Intellectual property rights (IPR)

Almost all businesses have intellectual property rights, be it in the form of business and corporate secrets, know-how, patents, trademarks, designs, copyrights, company (name) or domain names.

Non-Competition Clauses

How about: A non-compete clause is an agreement that limits you in relation to competing businesses. It can apply both during and after the employment relationship. A typical example is an agreement point that says you cannot work for a competing business for 6 months after leaving.

Reorganization and downsizing

There are clear rules for when an employer can reorganize and downsize a business.

Is my boss allowed to read my e-mail?

Unless they have a valid business reason for doing so, an employer can’t read an employee’s e-mail – or any other information that’s been stored on an electronic communication device such as a mobile phone.

Social media and employers

Two out of three of us are on social media every single day. Posts are published quickly and easily without having had any editor evaluate their content beforehand. Social media can give the impression that users are operating in their own private sphere – while the exact opposite may be true.

Mobbing in the Workplace

Bullying in the workplace can be defined as a situation where an employee is repeatedly and over time exposed to negative actions from others in the workplace.

Whistleblowing in the Workplace

As an employee, you have the right to report critical conditions. Hired employees also have the right to report critical conditions in the business to the hirer.

Written notice

A written warning in an employment relationship is one of the tools an employer has to correct unwanted or irregular behavior from an employee.

Reorganization and downsizing

There are clear rules for when an employer can reorganize and downsize a business.

Employee suspension

Sometimes an employer chooses to remove an employee temporarily from their position (= suspend them). Many people feel this action is both upsetting and unreasonable.

What you should know if you’ve been laid off

Layoff means that the employee is temporarily exempt from the duty to work, while the employer is temporarily exempt from the obligation to pay wages.

What you should know about severance agreements

Are you in a situation where it may be relevant to have a termination agreement? Here is an overview of concepts and components in a termination agreement.

Dismissal: What are your legal rights if it happens to you?

Most people consider losing their job to be a dramatic life event. Below you’ll find useful information about the rights, processes and contracts associated with dismissal.

Dismissal in the public sector

Termination can either be justified by circumstances that are on the company’s side, or be justified by circumstances that you as an employee are responsible for.

Non-Competition Clauses

How about: A non-compete clause is an agreement that limits you in relation to competing businesses. It can apply both during and after the employment relationship. A typical example is an agreement point that says you cannot work for a competing business for 6 months after leaving.

Termination of employment relationship in the private and municipal sectors

It is usual that the employment relationship ends by termination from one of the parties. If the employment agreement is significantly breached by the employee, this may lead to dismissal. An employment relationship can also end by mutual agreement between the parties

Dismissal: What are your legal rights if it happens to you?

Most people consider losing their job to be a dramatic life event. Below you’ll find useful information about the rights, processes and contracts associated with dismissal.

Dismissal in the public sector

Termination can either be justified by circumstances that are on the company’s side, or be justified by circumstances that you as an employee are responsible for.

Your right to receive a reference letter

Upon termination of an employment relationship, the employee is entitled to a written certificate.

What you should know about severance agreements

Are you in a situation where it may be relevant to have a termination agreement? Here is an overview of concepts and components in a termination agreement.

Employee suspension

Sometimes an employer chooses to remove an employee temporarily from their position (= suspend them). Many people feel this action is both upsetting and unreasonable.
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