.svg)
Norway’s framework is the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act of June 16, 2017 (likestillings- og diskrimineringsloven), in force since January 1, 2018, which replaced the earlier Anti-Discrimination and Accessibility Act. It applies to all employers, public and private, regardless of size, and covers employees, applicants and trainees.
“Disability” is understood broadly to include long-term physical, mental or sensory impairments, and the Act prohibits direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, and the denial of individual accommodation. The Working Environment Act separately obliges employers to adapt work to the individual employee’s capacity and, where an employee has reduced working ability, to take steps so far as possible to allow them to keep or obtain suitable work.
Section 22 of the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act requires employers to provide suitable individual accommodation of workplaces and tasks so that employees and applicants with disabilities can obtain or keep employment, access training, perform the job, and develop in the role, unless the accommodation would impose a disproportionate burden. Adjustments may include modified hours or duties, assistive technology, accessible premises, telework, and reassignment.
Section 22 states expressly that a denial of suitable individual accommodation is discrimination. Employers with more than 50 employees must also work actively, in cooperation with employee representatives, to promote equality and prevent discrimination, and document that work in their annual report.
There is no fixed statutory response deadline, but the employer must act once the need is known and must involve the employee and, where relevant, the occupational health service and NAV, which funds workplace adaptation and assistive technology. Employers may request medical documentation limited to the functional limitation and the adjustment needed; health information is special-category data under the GDPR and the Personal Data Act, and the Working Environment Act restricts employer access to health data.
Under the Working Environment Act, employers must prepare a written follow-up plan with the employee within four weeks of the start of any sickness absence, which is where accommodation is commonly worked out in practice.
Complaints may be brought to the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal (Diskrimineringsnemnda), which can order compensation and redress, or to the courts, where a discriminatory dismissal is invalid and compensation is uncapped. The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud provides guidance and can intervene. The Labour Inspection Authority enforces the adaptation and follow-up duties in the Working Environment Act.
Managing workplace adjustments requests under the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act (2017) can be complex—multiple forms, response deadlines, and cross-department coordination all add complexity.
Disclo centralizes every case in one dashboard:
Ready to streamline your Norway workplace adjustments workflow? Request a demo today.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Employment laws change frequently and vary by jurisdiction. Consult qualified employment counsel before acting on any information here. Last reviewed: September 2026.
