Report on Convention no 138 concerning minimum age, 1973

NORWAY

R E P O R T

for the period ending 31 May 2003, in accordance with article 22 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation, from the Government of Norway, on the measures taken to give effect to the provisions of the

Convention no 138 concerning minimum age, 1973

ratification of which was registered on 8 July 1980.

I – II

In the sphere of labour law the Convention’s requirements are met by the Working Environment Act (No. 4 of 4 February 1977) chapter IX on employment of children and young people and by Regulations No. 551 of 30 April on employment of children and young people.

Both Chapter IX of the Working Environment Act and the Regulations on employment of children and young people have been revised since the last report which covered the period ending on 31 May 2002. The amendments are of a technical, not a substantive, nature. They are designed to make the rules easier to grasp and user-friendly. The amendments took effect on 1 January 2003. Two copies of the Working Environment Act Chapter IX and the regulations are enclosed.

Based on concrete queries from the ILO in connection with the previous report, we described the gist of the draft regulations on work in the employee’s home. Both these regulations and regulations on housework, supervision and nursing in a private employer’s home or household went into force on 5 July 2002. Two copies of the regulations are enclosed.

No other changes with a bearing on the Convention have taken place, and reference is made to earlier reporting. The Directorate of Labour Inspection has no further comments.

Regulations on employment and placement of young people on Norwegian ships (no. 432 of 25 April 2002) are designed to safeguard young workers (under the age of 18), and to meet their needs for personal development, vocational training and access to employment. The regulations, which went into force on 1 July 2002, are the outcome of the amalgamation of Regulations on employment of young people on Norwegian ships (no. 888 of 31 August 2000) and Regulations on placement of young people in practical work in domestic shipping. The new regulations do not entail material changes, and there is no change in the minimum age for young people working on Norwegian ships. The legal basis for the age provisions is Act no. 18 of 30 May 1975, section 4.

III

Supervision of compliance with Regulations on employment and placement of young people on Norwegian ships is performed by the Maritime Directorate.

IV – V

Reference is made to previous report.

VI

This report will be communicated to the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry, the Confederation of Trade Unions in Norway, the Norwegian Seamen’s Union and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association

Oslo, September 2003

Enclosures:

1 Working Environment Act, chapter IX

2 Regulations on employment of children and young people

3 Regulations on work in the employee’s home

4 Regulations on housework, supervision and nursing in a private employer’s home or household

Regulations no. 423 of 25 April 2002