Trial period
When you are employed by the Norwegian state (as is the case when you work for HiØ) you are normally subject to a six months trial period.
Salaries and advance payment
Salaries are paid on the 12th of each month. If this date falls on a weekend or public holiday, the salary is paid on the last working day before the 15th. Payments to foreign accounts with IBAN and SWIFT (BIC) addresses take a few days longer than domestic payments.
The paid salary pertains to the entire calendar month, i.e. you receive 50 % of your monthly salary in arrears and 50 % in advance.
You find your payslips in the SAP Portal; section “Lønn”.
Advance payment
You need a Norwegian identification number (D-number or personal number) to get your ordinary salary payment from HiØ. If the application process for ID-number is delayed, you can apply for payment in advance. Advanced payment assume that you actually have been entered the position. The advanced salary will be deducted at your first ordinary payment, or by agreement.
- Apply for advanced payment (only in Norwegian)
Tax deduction card
Foreign employees who are working in Norway will only receive a tax deduction card for the current year. At the start of the new year, the employee must apply for a new tax deduction card.
If you already have a Norwegian identity number and have previously met in person for an identity check at one of our tax offices, you will not have to meet again. If so, you can just contact Skatteetaten, telephone 800 80 000, or +47 22 07 70 00 from abroad.
Working hours
The working hours for the academic staff are 40 hours per week.
The working hours for the technical and administrative staff are divided in wintertime and summertime. 30 minute lunch time is included in the working hours. In wintertime the normal working hours are 7,75 hours per day (38,75 hours per week) going from 15th of September until 14th of May.
In summertime the normal working hours are 7 hours per day (35 hours per week) starting from May 15th to September 14th. Employees in technical and administrative positions, except maintenance and cleaning staff, have flexible working hours.
Flexible working hours mean that employees can organize their time within the standard working hours of 37.5 hours per week. The core working hours are from 9:00 to 14:30.
Holiday leave and Public holidays
Employees have a right to 25 days off per calendar year in addition to Public holidays. Read more about Holiday leave and Public holidays.
Extra days off for employees over 62
Employees over the age of 62 can apply for up to 14 days off per year. Employees in part-time jobs are given a corresponding amount of time off.
Pension
Being a state-owned institution, Østfold University College enrolls its employees in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (Norwegian: statens pensjonskasse). Members of the Fund are entitled to retirement pension of up to 66 percent of their contribution to the institution, dependent on the years they have worked in the public sector.
Ethical Guidelines for the Public Service
High ethical standards for the provision of services and the exercise of authority are a prerequisite if the citizenry is to trust the public service. The goal of these general ethical guidelines is to ensure that all State employees are aware of this. The ethical guidelines are to be of a general nature, rather than providing detailed rules. They are intended to be general guidelines that call for reflection on the part of the individual employee. The provisions enshrined in them are not always exact, but rather specify legal standards.
The guidelines have evolved from ethical values and norms of universal validity such as
justice, loyalty, honesty, reliability, truthfulness and that one treats others as one would like to
be treated.
Norway has many rules of law (statutory and non-statutory) that impact values and ethics in
the public service. The ethical standards that apply at any given time have an impact on the
framing of legislation and other regulations. From this perspective, the guidelines complement
the existing rules of law.
- Ethical Guidelines for the Public Service (regjeringen.no)