English

Who can receive pregnancy benefits?

You may have the right to pregnancy benefits if your work, or the conditions at your place of work, may cause harm to the foetus. It is a requirement that alternative or adjusted tasks are not available and /or possible.

Examples include

• work with chemicals
• physically exhausting labour
• particularly stressful work
• psycho-social circumstances 

You must have been employed for at least four weeks. In order to have the right to pregnancy benefits, your annual income must be at least half of the National Insurance Scheme's basic amount (G). Pregnancy benefits are given from the time you had to stop working, and until three weeks prior to birth. From three weeks prior to birth and onwards you will receive parental benefits if you are eligible for these.

If you reduce your hours at work but remain working, you may be eligible to receive graduated pregnancy benefits. If you cannot work during your pregnancy because you are ill, you have the right to sickness benefits

There is further information about the rights and duties between employees and employers on Arbeidstilsynet.no

How much will you receive?

Benefits are not given for income above six times the National Insurance basic amount.(G)

• For employees, pregnancy benefits are usually calculated based on your income at the time when you had to stop working. The NAV office will calculate your benefits.
• For those who are self-employed, the pregnancy benefits are usually calculated based on their average pensionable income during the last three years of income. The pregnancy benefit is given at 100 percent of the eligible income.
• For freelancers, pregnancy benefits are calculated in the same way as for the self-employed.  The pregnancy benefit is given at 100 percent of the eligible income.

How do you apply?

Your doctor or midwife must always make a medical assessment of the risk that the foetus may be harmed if you continue working.

If you are an employee you apply for pregnancy benefits using the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's form "Omplassering/tilrettelegging pga graviditet"  ("Alternative/adjusted work due to pregnancy") (nr 474 b). Your doctor/midwife must fill in their part of the form. Bring the form to your employer.

If your employer cannot find alternative work for you, the employer must fill in their part of the form before you send it to your local NAV office.

If your employer pays your full salary during the period you have the right to pregnancy benefits, your employer must indicate this on the form "Inntektsopplysninger for arbeidstaker" ("Income information for employee") - NAV 08-30.01 and this will then be seen as an application to be reimbursed by the National Insurance Scheme. However, the reimbursement depends on the employee also applying for pregnancy benefits at the right time.

Benefits cannot be back-paid for more than the three months before the date on which you applied. If you apply for pregnancy benefits at a later date, your payments will be reduced.

If you are self-employed or a freelancer, you must apply for pregnancy benefits using the form  ”Krav om svangerskapspenger til selvstendig næringsdrivende og frilanser " - ("Application for pregnancy benefits for the self-employed/freelancers") NAV 14-04.10 .You as well as your doctor/midwife must fill in the form.

You must describe the conditions of your work that you believe will pose a risk to your foetus. You must also provide an assessment of the possibility of adjusting your work so that it no longer poses a risk to your foetus.

When you select the form (see the menu to the right), you are automatically taken to a guide to completing the form. Here you must indicate which enclosures and what sort of documentation you must submit with your application. A cover page will also be generated. To help NAV process your application quickly and efficiently, please submit the information given on this cover page. Please enclose the cover page at the front of your letter.(this guide is only in Norwegian)

Benefits cannot be back-paid for more than three months before the date on which you applied. If you apply for pregnancy benefits at a later date, your payments will be reduced accordingly.

When is the pregnancy benefit paid?

Pregnancy benefits are paid monthly and is taxable.

Most of the main information about your entitlements and duties is available here in English. There are also links to other more detailed information; however, some of this information is only available in Norwegian.