Supreme Court rules in favor of project manager's independent status

In a landmark decision, Norway's Supreme Court addressed the definition of a "specially independent position" in employment law. The case involved a project manager at an entrepreneurial construction company who argued that his role gave him authority over work schedules and task execution, yet did not entitle him to overtime compensation. The court concluded that the manager indeed exercised significant discretion over project execution, though his control over total workload was constrained.

This assessment led the court to overturn the appellate judgment and require the former employer to pay the employee's legal expenses. The worker received support from the union NITO, while the business was backed by SMB Norge. The ruling sets a precedent for how independent positions are interpreted in Norwegian labor disputes.