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Legal assistance

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

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Legal assistance: Employment

Tekna assists you with issues that may arise throughout a long working life. The most common enquiries are about employment contracts, restructuring, salary, and sick leave. We also take some cases to court if deemed appropriate and necessary.

Tekna's lawyers respond continuously to legal enquiries, and 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 make the initial contact efficient, we ask that you first explain the challenge via email. This way, we can best understand the matter before responding, no later than the next working day.

Contact: [email protected] 
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Private Law is closed for the summer

Private Law is closed for the summer throughout July. Enquiries received during this period will not be registered or answered.

If your enquiry is still relevant after the summer holidays, you will need to submit a new enquiry to [email protected] after 1 August.

Closed for the summer

Use of the service

We recommend that you send anything containing sensitive personal information encrypted or by letter to us.

To receive legal assistance, one must have been a member of Tekna for at least six months before the issue you seek assistance for arose.

If you have an occupational injury case, we have a partnership agreement with the law firm Ness Lundin DA. Send the case to us and we will assess what we can assist with.

Tekna representatives

Tekna representatives can both send emails and call us directly. We know that many union representatives receive serious cases, where it is urgent to get in touch with us. 

Questions and cases related to individual members can be sent to [email protected]. 

Specifically about the advisory service Private Law

Private Law is an additional offer to members and the scope of the offer is governed by the lawyer capacity at Tekna. It is therefore subject to the fact that the caseload can sometimes be large, and that we may occasionally have to reject questions or limit our answers for capacity reasons.

The advice given to members will, as a starting point, be given in writing, based on the member's submitted description of the case and the questions they wish to have answered. Below is an overview of the legal areas that are particularly covered.

Private Law provides advice and guidance on:

  • Family, inheritance, and estate matters, including marital agreements, cohabitation agreements, and powers of attorney for future needs, wills
  • Tenancy law
  • Purchase and sale of real estate, including construction of housing
  • Purchase and sale of personal property, including cars and boats
  • Contracts for artisan services
  • Various questions about real estate, including neighborhood relations, questions about housing cooperatives and condominium associations, questions about right of way and other rights in real estate
  • Compensation, insurance

Private Law does not provide advice and guidance on:

  • Criminal law
  • Immigration law
  • Tax and duty law
  • Conflicts with the public sector (state, county, municipality, and public institutions)

Private Law reserves the right to reject particularly extensive or complicated cases, such as cases of allodial rights and complex leasehold cases, which we do not have the capacity to handle.

We also reserve the right to limit the offer to providing general information if special circumstances dictate it, for example where members are against each other in the same conflict.

Q&A

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.

Preferential right to a new position

In the event of downsizing, an employee who has been laid off has priority for a new position in the same company, as long as the employee is qualified for the position.

Reorganization and downsizing

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

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.

You’re caught up in your company’s transfer – what should you do?

The term “business transfer” means that all or part of a business is transferred to a new owner. When this happens, it’s important to know your rights and obligations. Below you’ll find tips on what you should do if you’re caught up in this situation.

Downsizing: How to prepare yourself for a meeting if you’ve been dismissed

Before an employer decides to terminate an employee, this must be discussed with the employee in a separate meeting that is often called a 15-1 meeting. Read how you should prepare for such a meeting.

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.