Norway has one of the most generous sick pay systems in Europe and one of the most procedurally demanding. Employees get 100% of pay from day one — no waiting day, no reduced rate — but the employer carries the first 16 calendar days, and from there the process is a fixed timetable of plans and meetings that NAV actively enforces.
This guide covers Norwegian sick leave as it works in 2026: the employer period, self-certification limits, the 6G earnings cap, when NAV takes over, and the follow-up obligations that start at week four.
Key takeaways
- The employer pays sykepenger for the first 16 calendar days (the arbeidsgiverperiode) at 100% of normal pay.
- Employees qualify after four weeks of employment; there is no waiting day.
- Egenmelding (self-certification) covers up to 3 calendar days at a time, four times in 12 months — more in workplaces with an inclusive working life (IA) agreement.
- From day 17, NAV pays sykepenger at 100% of income up to 6G, for a maximum of 52 weeks.
- A written follow-up plan is due within 4 weeks and a dialogue meeting within 7 weeks of the absence starting.
The 16-day employer period
The employer period (arbeidsgiverperioden) under the National Insurance Act runs for the first 16 calendar days of a sick absence. During it the employer pays the employee’s ordinary salary in full — not a percentage, not a capped rate.
Because the period is measured in calendar days, weekends and public holidays count toward the 16 even where no pay is due for those days. If the employee returns to work and falls sick again within 16 calendar days, the new absence continues the old employer period rather than starting a fresh one. Only after 16 days of full working capacity does a new employer period begin.
To qualify at all, the employee must have been employed for at least four weeks (opptjeningstid). An employee who falls sick in week three of a new job has no right to employer-paid sykepenger — though they may still be entitled to NAV benefits in some circumstances.
Egenmelding: self-certification without a doctor
Norway lets employees self-certify short absences. The standard rule allows egenmelding for up to 3 calendar days at a time, on up to 4 occasions in any 12-month period.
Workplaces with an IA agreement (inkluderende arbeidsliv — inclusive working life) use an expanded scheme: up to 8 calendar days at a time, capped at 24 days per 12 months, with no limit on the number of occasions. Many employers outside the IA scheme adopt the expanded rules voluntarily; that is permitted, since the statutory figures are a floor.
| Scheme | Days per occasion | Occasions per 12 months | Annual cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory minimum | 3 calendar days | 4 | — |
| IA agreement | 8 calendar days | Unlimited | 24 days |
Beyond the self-certification limit, the employee needs a sykmelding — a sick note from a doctor. Norwegian sick notes are usually graded (gradert sykmelding), certifying partial rather than total incapacity, because the system is built around keeping people partly at work rather than fully absent.
After day 16: NAV sykepenger
From day 17 the state takes over. NAV pays sykepenger at 100% of the employee’s income, but capped at six times the National Insurance basic amount (6G). G is adjusted every May, so the cap moves annually.
The 6G cap is where higher earners lose out — and where most employer top-up policies exist. Many collective agreements and public sector employers pay the difference between 6G and full salary for the whole benefit period. That top-up is contractual, not statutory.
Sykepenger runs for a maximum of 52 weeks, counting the employer period. After that the employee moves to work assessment allowance (arbeidsavklaringspenger) or another benefit, and the entitlement to sykepenger only resets after 26 weeks of full working capacity.
Large employers often pay full salary through the whole period and claim reimbursement from NAV (refusjon) — an administratively simpler route than having employees paid by two payers mid-month.
The follow-up timetable
This is where Norwegian sick leave differs most from the rest of Europe. The Working Environment Act sets a fixed schedule of employer obligations, and NAV can impose penalties for missing them:
| Milestone | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Week 4 | Written follow-up plan (oppfølgingsplan) agreed with the employee |
| Week 7 | Dialogue meeting 1 between employer and employee, doctor if requested |
| Week 26 | Dialogue meeting 2, convened by NAV |
| Week 39 | NAV reviews continued entitlement |
| Week 52 | Sykepenger ends |
The follow-up plan is exempt only where the absence is clearly short or where a plan would be obviously unnecessary — a narrow exception in practice. The plan must cover the employee’s tasks, what they can still do, planned adjustments, and review dates.
Employer obligations
Norwegian employers have six core duties:
- Pay full salary for the first 16 calendar days, with no waiting day and no reduction.
- Accept valid egenmelding within the statutory or IA limits and not demand a sick note earlier.
- Apply the 16-day continuation rule rather than restarting the employer period after short recurrences.
- Produce the follow-up plan within 4 weeks and hold dialogue meeting 1 within 7 weeks.
- Facilitate graded sick leave — adjusted duties, reduced hours, or a phased return where the sick note is partial.
- Report and claim correctly to NAV, including reimbursement claims where the employer advances full pay.
Common pitfalls
1. Requiring a doctor’s note for a two-day absence
Egenmelding is a statutory right, not a concession. Demanding a sykmelding inside the self-certification limit is unlawful and is a common import from group policies written for jurisdictions with day-one certificate rules.
2. Restarting the employer period too early
A new arbeidsgiverperiode needs 16 days of full working capacity in between. Employers who reset on any return to work end up paying employer-period salary they could have claimed from NAV.
3. Ignoring graded sick notes
A 50% sykmelding means the employee should be working half their hours, with adjusted duties if needed. Treating a graded note as a full absence defeats the purpose of the system and weakens the employer’s position at dialogue meeting 2.
4. Missing the four-week follow-up plan
The plan is the document NAV asks for first. Producing it retrospectively after a NAV request is a familiar and avoidable finding.
5. Assuming NAV covers full salary
NAV caps at 6G. For employees above that threshold, either the collective agreement tops up or the employee takes a pay cut from day 17 — and employees are rarely told which applies until it happens.
For more on Norwegian leave, see our guide to annual leave entitlement in Norway, the comparison of sick leave rules across Europe, and the overview of the main types of leave employers manage.
Frequently asked questions
How much sick pay do employees get in Norway?
100% of normal salary. The employer pays it for the first 16 calendar days, and NAV pays it from day 17 up to a ceiling of 6G, for a maximum of 52 weeks in total.
How many self-certified sick days can an employee take?
Three calendar days at a time, on up to four occasions in 12 months, under the statutory minimum. Workplaces with an IA agreement allow eight days at a time up to 24 days a year.
When is a doctor’s note required in Norway?
Once the self-certification allowance is exhausted, or when the absence runs beyond three (or eight, under IA) calendar days. The note is often graded rather than certifying total incapacity.
What is 6G?
Six times the National Insurance basic amount (grunnbeløpet), the ceiling on NAV sykepenger. G is revised each May, so the cap changes annually. Income above 6G is only covered if the employer or collective agreement tops it up.
How long can an employee be on sick leave in Norway?
Sykepenger runs for a maximum of 52 weeks including the employer period. After that, the employee moves to work assessment allowance, and a new sykepenger entitlement requires 26 weeks of full working capacity.
Does the employer have to hold a meeting?
Yes. Dialogue meeting 1 must be held within seven weeks of the absence starting. NAV convenes dialogue meeting 2 at around 26 weeks.
Putting it into practice
Five checks cover most Norwegian sick leave risk:
- Confirm payroll pays 100% for the first 16 calendar days with no waiting day.
- Configure egenmelding limits — statutory or IA — and let employees use them without a certificate.
- Set the 16-day gap rule so short recurrences continue the employer period correctly.
- Automate reminders for the four-week plan and seven-week dialogue meeting.
- Decide and document your policy on topping up above 6G, and tell employees before they need to know.
A leave management system that tracks calendar-day employer periods, counts egenmelding occasions against the right limit, and fires the week-4 and week-7 reminders means the NAV timetable is handled by the system rather than by whoever remembers.
Sources
- NAV — sickness benefit (sykepenger) (primary source)
- Folketrygdloven — Norwegian National Insurance Act, chapter 8
- Arbeidstilsynet — Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, follow-up of sick leave
Last updated: 26 July 2026. This article is general guidance, not legal advice. The basic amount (G) is revised each May — confirm the current 6G ceiling with NAV and check the applicable collective agreement for top-up entitlements.