The new minimum wage rates came into force last month.
As the NLF explains, there is no general minimum wage in Norway. However, a minimum wage has been introduced in some industries to prevent foreign workers from receiving poorer wages and working conditions than is usual in the country.
The profession of lorry driver is one area where this applies. Employees who transport goods by road with vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes now have to be paid at least NOK 185.50 per hour (up from NOK 175.95 per hour).
The minimum wage rate also applies to employees in companies established outside Norway if the transport is carried out by a posted employee (cabotage or combined transport).
The rate does not, however, apply to international transport. Neither does the rule apply to internal transport, (i.e goods that a company has produced itself and that are transported by the company’s employees).
As the NLF writes, an employee can receive various forms of remuneration from his employer in addition to his or her ordinary salary. However, not all remuneration is to be regarded as salary in accordance with the general regulations. The hourly wage may be somewhat lower than the minimum wage rate if the employee receives other forms of wage compensation. Nevertheless, money for expenses cannot compensate for a lower hourly rate according to the rules.
Photo: Bent Sigmund Olsen from Bergen, Norway, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
