The Labour Inspectorate will in summer carry out inspections of berry and vegetable growers who have employed seasonal workers.
– Foreign seasonal workers are a vulnerable group. From experience we know that they are more prone to unacceptable working conditions relating to working hours, accommodation and wages, says Director Trude Vollheim from Labour Inspection in a press release.
Agriculture was one of the first industries in which foreign labour was used extensively, particularly in seasonal work with the harvest of vegetables, fruits and berries.
The inspections will especially address written work agreements, working hours, minimum wages and accommodation. When the employer offers accommodation for his employees, there are certain requirements for the accommodation.
– In short, the housing must have an acceptable Norwegian standard. If you can not house family guests there with good conscience, you can not host workers either, “says Vollheim.
In the inspections, the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority will check whether the employer has a written record of how much the individual employee is working. In the case of overtime, 40 percent will be paid for work beyond normal working hours, which is 9 hours a day or 40 hours a week.
«Flat salary» for overtime is illegal. A meal break is not considered part of working hours.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
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