Norway is known for its generous welfare state. But, getting a doctor’s appointment can be a struggle, depending on where you live. 

This may put you in a bit of a bind if you are worried about providing your job with a sick note if you fall ill. 

Thankfully, there are ways to report yourself as sick to your employer without a doctor. In Norway this is referred to as egenmelding, This means self-reporting and describes exactly that – reporting yourself off work sick. 

Still, there are a number of rules regarding self-reporting that you will need to follow. You can only report yourself off sick for three calendar days at a time. 

This means that if you report yourself sick on Friday, then Saturday and Sunday will also count as self-reported sick leave, even if you aren’t meant to be at work over the weekend. 

There are also limits on how often you can issue a self-report. You may typically only use a self-report four times in 12 months. 

You must also report this illness before the end of working hours on the first absence day. 

Furthermore, to have the right to self-report you will need to have been employed for more than two months. 

Once you have used up your self-reporting periods or are ill for four days, then you will need a doctor’s note. 

However, a self-report period isn’t used if a doctor’s note extends the sick leave. A sick note will only kick in from the fourth day, however. 

How to self-report

Each individual employer has its own procedure for self-reporting, so if how to do it hasn’t been made clear, be sure to ask your boss or somebody from the human resources department. 

Some companies may have different self-reporting and allow longer periods (such as eight days). They, alternatively, may allow a total number of days per year without a limit of frequency. 

If you run out of self-report days, you may be able to talk to your employer about using holiday days, welfare days or leave with or without pay. If your children are sick, you can take days to care for them. 

Is there anything else to know? 

You may lose your right to self-reporting if your employer has reasonable grounds to assume that one’s absence isn’t due to illness. 

Your employer must issue a notice if it takes away your right to self-reporting so you can make your argument for why it should be retained. 

If it is removed, the employer must reassess the decision after six months.