Many people struggle to use the NAV’s services due to shorter opening hours

As the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration (NAV) has shorter opening hours and is operating more digitally due to corona, a lot of people with reading and writing difficulties and those with weak computer skills find it more difficult to get help.

Ragnhild Guddal, who leads a project that follow-ups with drug addicts, warned Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) about the issue. She doesn’t want the weakest members of society to be affected by the changes in the NAV.

“I want us to have a society where the NAV is our last safety net, that welcomes everyone. In order for us to have that, we must have the door open. You must be able to get in there and meet a person who can help you,” Guddal said.

“If you do not have a telephone or bank ID, you have to go there,” she noted.

The Center Party (SP) also reacted to the same thing. They have put forward a proposal according to which the NAV’s offices should offer professional help with at least the same opening hours as the municipality’s town hall.

The proposal will be presented in the Norwegian parliament (Storting) on May 10.

“Those who need it most do not get the help they need,” SP’s labor and social policy spokesman Per Olaf Lundteigen told news bureau NTB.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

Do you have a news tip for Norway Today? We want to hear it. Get in touch at [email protected]