Part-time employees
The new rules mean that the employer is required to document in writing whether there is a need for part-time employees, and the decision must be discussed with the union representative. In addition, part-time employees are given priority over new employees on the condition that there are equivalent tasks to be performed.
Preferential right
The preferential right for part-time employees means that an employer must offer vacant work first to its own part-time employees, before they can offer the job to someone outside the company. This applies if the part-time employees have sufficient qualifications and experience for the position.
The purpose of the preferential right is to give part-time employees an opportunity to get more work and thereby increase their predictability, if they initially want a higher job fraction.
What does this mean for your business?
The change in the law will have the greatest impact on businesses that have a large proportion of part-time employees. Traditionally, this is most widespread in the health and social care sector, the hotel and restaurant industry, personal service provision and trade in goods.
Businesses that are in industries with a lot of part-time employees, typically in the case of on-call temporary workers, should establish routines to ensure that preferential rights are safeguarded.
Other businesses, which rarely use part-time employees, should be aware of the change in the law and ensure that necessary routines are followed for part-time employment, in line with the law.
Do you have any questions about this?
Contact general manager Sigmund Høye
