Background information

Many companies in Norway, including in the shipbuilding industry and in the construction industry, are dependent on foreign labour to maintain normal operations. For these companies the quarantine rules entail large costs. The government has established a compensation scheme to help companies with additional expenses for implementing entry quarantine, to maintain production despite strict quarantine measures.

Content of measure

A compensation scheme has been established for companies that sustain additional costs when it provides a suitable place to stay for hired foreign labour during quarantine instead of using subsidised quarantine hotels. The scheme will initially apply for the period 1 November 2020 to 28 February 2021. Such companies will receive a standard amount per employee per day in quarantine of NOK 1,000 (€96) under the following conditions:

• The company must have had employees or contractors who were subjected to entry quarantine in the period for which a grant is applied for;
• Quarantine stays carried out at quarantine hotels are not covered;
• As an employer or client, the company must have been responsible for the quarantine stay;
• The quarantine stays must have been carried out at a suitable place of residence in accordance with the infection control rules.

The Brønnøysund Register Centre will administer the scheme. NOK 480 million (€45,8 million) has been set aside for the scheme.

Use of measure

No information available yet.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Posted workers Migrants or refugees in employment	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Public support service providers	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

Social partners have been consulted regularly during the design and implementation of the measure. A union and an employers’ associations have together asked the government to amend the quarantine regulations and to shorten the quarantine period, as the quarantine not only lays a burden on the workers but also bring a stop to many business operations case NO-2020-44/1613 . The present compensation scheme may partly be the government’s response to the challenge.

Views and reactions

The social partners are supportive of the measure.

Sources

• 10 November 2020: Will cover expenses for entry quarantine (www.regjeringen.no)