Norway Extends Reduced-Pay Parental Leave Benefits

Extensions to Norway’s parental leave benefit period for employees who choose not to take benefits at full pay take effect July 1, the country’s government said.

Amendments to the National Insurance Act (Norwegian) extend parental leave benefits to 306 benefit days or 61 weeks and one day, from 295 days or 59 weeks, when an employee chooses to receive a reduced rate instead of their full pay. The reduced rate is 80% of an employee’s pay. Additionally, the mother must take three weeks of benefits before the child’s birth.

When a child is adopted, the reduced-rate benefit period was also ...