After many and protracted disputes with the Danish insurance company Alpha, without success, in 2018 Sundmoen took the claim for occupational injury payment to the court. And Rune water. The Oslo District Court ruled that he is entitled to NOK 2.5 million after the injuries he sustained at work in 2010. No guarantee But Alpha went bankrupt in the middle of the trial, and there is no guarantee scheme that protects Norwegian employees against bankruptcy in foreign insurance companies. Rune thus never received the money he has a legally binding judgment that he is entitled to. More than two hundred Norwegians are demanding a total of almost two hundred million kroner from the company. – I actually feel deceived by the Norwegian state, says Sundmoen to news. And the reason why he feels deceived is that those who have adopted statutory occupational injury insurance have not guaranteed the employees the right to compensation if a foreign insurance company, which it is legal to use, goes bankrupt. LO lawyer Katrine Hellum-Lilleengen. Photo: Bjørn Atle Gildestad – There is a hole in the legislation, and I don’t understand why the politicians are not doing anything to change it, says LO lawyer Katrine Hellum-Lilleengen. She has fought for many years for Rune Sundmoen to be paid occupational injury compensation after he became 100 percent disabled after a fall at work back in 2010. Labor demanded a change in the law The Labor Party, when the party was in opposition in 2018, demanded a change in the law that ensures workers at bankruptcy in foreign insurance companies. Labor received support from the Center Party, but the Storting majority voted down the proposal. These two parties have now been in government for a year, but nothing has happened. Hellum-Lilleengen and lawyer colleague Hilde Anghus therefore demand that the governing party put in place a change in the law that better protects Norwegian workers; a guarantee scheme for those who have occupational injury insurance in a foreign company. In addition, they demand that the State cover the lack of payment for those who did not receive money after the Alpha bankruptcy. This was also Ap and Sp for when the parties were in opposition. Became disabled – no occupational injury payment We go all the way back to 2010. Then carpenter Rune Sundmoen stands on the roof of a new building in Os in Østerdalen. On the way down to his lunch break, he jumps from the roof to the scaffolding, but the planks give way. He fell through, and landed six meters below. His back is compressed, and he suffers a fracture in his pelvis. The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority was notified, and an occupational injury report was sent. Arbeidsgjevar Os Entreprenør had taken out occupational injury insurance with the Danish company Alpha Insurance. Rune was operated on in hospital, but did not improve and after a while he was declared 100 per cent disabled. Twelve years after the accident, and four years after he was upheld in the district court, he has still not received the money he is entitled to. Considerably weakened finances have affected the family in the years that have passed since the fall that put him out of working life. Going above and beyond the children – We have had to skimp and save on activities for the children. And we feel that we have not been able to give them what we should have given, and could have given, if everything had been in order, says Rune Sundmoen to news. Life was put on hold. He hasn’t paid his mortgage for ten years because of the difficult situation he found himself in. – I know I’m getting really upset just talking about it now, he says. Rune lived in the belief that we are all fully insured for work. – I actually feel deceived by the Norwegian state. If my employer had allowed me to take out insurance, I would have been covered by the occupational accident insurance association (YFF). – It is very worrying that the legislation has not changed, because exactly this can still happen to others as well. 220 can demand 200 million Rune Sundengen is not alone in the problem. 220 Norwegians are entitled to around NOK 200 million from the bankruptcy estate after Alpha. LO attorney Hilde Anghus. Photo: Bjørn Atle Gildestad The party which in 2018 demanded a change in the law and payment to victims of the Alpha bankruptcy has now been in government for over a year, but nothing has happened. – It is incomprehensible to me, because now it is over four years since the bankruptcy occurred, says Hilde Anghus. She has worked for a long time to find a solution for those who are waiting for settlement. – We have worked hard, but still we feel that we have hit the wall. But we don’t give up, she asserts. She believes that the State must take responsibility for what has happened after the Alpha bankruptcy. – The state has a responsibility for an insurance scheme which is mandatory, and which will protect the employees, says Anghus. To the justice committee Maria Aasen-Svensrud (Ap) is first deputy chair of the justice committee. When asked by news whether it is not time to make progress in this case, she replies: Maria Aasen-Svensrud (Ap) is the first deputy leader of the Storting’s justice committee. Photo: Håkon Benjaminsen / news – Now this case has come to us in the justice committee. I will be responsible for her here at the Storting, and I will immediately contact the Minister of Justice and find a way forward. – When can Rune Sundmoen get his money? – However, I cannot give a concrete answer to that. – But that he gets money? – It will go through both the government and the Storting, so I will not sit and promise a majority, says Maria Aasen-Svensrud. Majority for change news has been in contact with Per Olaf Lundteigen (Sp) in the labor and social affairs committee in the Storting and Andreas Sjalg Unneland (SV) in the justice committee. Both parties say they will support a proposal for a change in the law that guarantees employees the right to payment even if a foreign insurance company goes bankrupt. Thus, there is a majority for a change in the law, and probably also for payment to those who did not receive money after the Alpha bankruptcy.
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– I feel cheated by the Norwegian state
