Norway’s sick leave compensation scheme faces scrutiny as Parliament members receive full salary during long-term absences

The sick leave compensation scheme in Norway operates as follows: if you are on sick leave for one year, you are entitled to receive full salary. If your sick leave extends beyond one year, you must apply for work assessment allowance (AAP), which provides 66% of your normal salary up to a maximum of 711,000 kroner. For someone earning the average salary of 670,000 kroner, this translates to a reduction of 228,000 kroner after one year of sick leave.

While the sick leave compensation system is designed to be equal for everyone, it varies significantly for one group: the members of Parliament. For them, in short, the system works differently: they can be on sick leave for the entire four-year term and still receive full salary. A member of Parliament earns 1,107,190 kroner annually, meaning that if a representative becomes long-term sick after just two weeks, they will continue to receive their full salary for the entire four-year term.

Senior researcher Knut Røed has noted that, although it is likely rare for members of Parliament to be on prolonged sick leave, the situation raises questions about equity. According to Parliament’s administration, only seven representatives have used this arrangement in the past 20 years.

Recently, a proposal from the Red Party to reduce sick pay for elected representatives to 711,000 kroner after one year of sick leave was rejected. The proposal aimed to align the compensation with what regular employees receive. Notably, while the Red Party and a couple of others supported the change, all other parties voted against it.

Recently, the Liberal Party expressed a desire to reduce sick pay for members of Parliament to 80% after six months of sick leave, highlighting a growing concern over absenteeism and its societal implications.