Norway's vacation law deemed at odds with EU paid‑leave rules

Norwegian legislation requires employees to earn vacation pay during the previous year, meaning new hires do not receive paid holiday in their first year of employment. This practice conflicts with the EU Working Time Directive, which guarantees four weeks of paid vacation to all workers. Labor lawyer Harald Breivik argues the Norwegian rule violates EU law, a view supported by trade unions LO, Akademikerne and Unio, which have campaigned for change since 2005. The government shelved the issue after a parliamentary hearing and EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) withdrew its oversight citing limited resources. Unions now urge members to consider legal action to force a revision, while the Ministry of Labour maintains the current system.

The dispute highlights tension between Norway’s national labor regulations and its obligations under the EØS agreement, with potential implications for employee rights and future enforcement by ESA.