Appendix 5 - Reduction of regular working hours with regard to daytime work eight hours per day

According to Section 8(2) of the collective agreement, regular working hours can be extended to a maximum of eight hours per day and a maximum of 40 hours per week by means of a local agreement.

If a local agreement is concluded that stipulates regular working hours of eight hours per day, the agreement must indicate whether it applies to the entire enterprise or to designated units or employees only, and when eight-hour working days will be realised.

When the number of regular daily working hours in daytime work is agreed to be eight, the working hours are reduced to an average of 37.5 hours per week as described below.

Eight-hour workdays in daytime work

When the number of daily regular working hours is eight, the employee accumulates one additional paid day off for each 15 days worked.

Under this agreement, paid sick leave days in accordance with Section 18 of the collective agreement in force, as well as days of temporary absence in accordance with Section 21, are considered days worked.

Reduction leave

The reduction leave accumulated as specified above will be granted as whole days unless otherwise agreed. With regard to the accumulation of annual holiday, accumulated days off are equal to days worked.

Accumulated days off must be granted by the end of the April following the calendar year in which they were accumulated. Notification of reduction leave must be given at least two weeks before it is granted. Illness or other absences will not cause any changes to the granting of hour-reduction leave indicated in the roster.

If the employment relationship ends and the employee has not been granted the accumulated hour-reduction leave referred to hereinabove, it shall be compensated for in a single payment as employment ends. If employment ends and the employee has been granted more reduction leave than he or she has accumulated by the time employment ends, the employer is entitled to deduct an amount corresponding to the amount of pay for the excess leave from the employee’s severance pay, notwithstanding the defrayment restrictions referred to in Chapter 2, Section 17 of the Employment Contracts Act.

Working during reduction leave

When an employee works during his or her free time in accordance with the reduction leave referred to hereinabove, this is considered additional work and compensated for with a 50% increase in wages. Work in excess of eight hours per day is considered overtime and compensated for by a 100% increase in wages.