The case in summary: Leisure contact Frank Hansen believes that leisure contacts have poor rights, with low pay, no holiday pay, sick pay or pension. Hansen is satisfied with his job, but understands that many municipalities struggle to recruit leisure contacts. In many municipalities, the scheme is assignment-based, and leisure contacts are therefore not considered employees. A lawyer in the Trade Union, Kjetil Skeide Edvardsen, believes that many municipalities need to step up and pay in a way that makes people think it’s okay to take on such a job. Municipal manager for culture, sports and leisure in Sandefjord, Erik Rastad, says that they greatly appreciate the work the leisure contacts do for the community, and that they have chosen assignment-based services on the recommendation of KS. Hege Mygland, department director at KS, says that it is up to the individual municipality to choose its solution, and that the trend is from assignments to employment in the municipalities. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. They have become good coaches, the two of them. Weekly, he picks up Thorleif Emil Olsen in his black pick-up, so that they can come up with something nice together. The latter is a resident of the Vidaråsen village housing and working community in Sandefjord municipality, and needs a little extra help in everyday life. news meets them over a cup of coffee at the Shell station in Kodal. Frank Hansen (on the left) is Thorleif Emil Olsen’s leisure contact. Here they are at the gas station. Photo: Philip Hofgaard / news – It’s very nice to have Frank. Then I get around a lot. We have been to Andebu, Sandefjord, Stokke and Horten, Olsen says happily. The support contact, or leisure contact, which is the term the municipalities use, agrees. Because it was never the money that primarily motivated him to become a leisure contact for Sandefjord municipality. It’s about making a difference. Contribute. Often running at a loss Hansen is keen that right should be right, both for himself and thousands of like-minded people across the country. Frank Hansen and Thorleif Emil Olsen. Photo: Philip Hofgaard / news In many municipalities, the scheme is based on assignments. Leisure contacts are therefore not considered employees. He feels that neither the state nor the municipality cares significantly about leisure contacts. – They only run the practice they have, and if you don’t accept it, then you can just quit, he says with frustration. At the same time, several places strive to recruit people like him. An example is the neighboring municipality of Larvik, where Ragnhild Anita Bjørklund had to wait for several months before she was finally allocated a leisure contact: Want to make a difference Hansen is not surprised that several municipalities are struggling to get hold of people. The expense allowance has been NOK 28 per hour ever since he started almost three years ago. It has not changed. He can also look far for a driving allowance. – How far do you get with that? I’m lucky if I break even, and in many cases make a loss. Asking the municipalities to take action Sandefjord municipality is not alone in allowing the leisure contacts to work on a mission-based basis. This is the case across large parts of the country. Kjetil Skeide Edvardsen, a lawyer in the Trade Union, believes that many municipalities must step up. Kjetil Skeide Edvardsen, lawyer in the Trade Union. Photo: Theodor Aasland Valen / news – It is a very important service. Then it has to be paid in a way that makes people think it’s okay to take on such a job, he says to news. He feels that many municipalities do the opposite. – Many leave it up to goodwill and commitment from individuals, rather than paying people in a fair and proper way. And although it is often just a few hours over the course of a month, he reminds us that there is a fundamental difference in terms. – As an employee, you have sickness benefits, pension accrual, disability allowance and many other rights. A contractor is a contractual counterparty without any protection whatsoever. – Do an important job Erik Rastad, municipal manager for culture, sports and leisure in Sandefjord, emphasizes that they greatly appreciate the work the leisure contacts do for the community. The reason why they have chosen assignment-based services is a recommendation from KS, he says. The leisure contacts are not employed by Sandefjord municipality, but work on assignment agreements. This is the case in many places in the country. Photo: Igor Tratkowski / news – Assignment agreements are an effective form of agreement for this type of service, because there are many short assignments of less than 6 hours a week. The tasks are to a small extent controlled by the municipality when it comes to carrying out the service, he says to news. For its part, KS believes that it is up to the individual municipality to choose its solution. – We have no recommendation in the area, other than that the municipalities must of course follow the Working Environment Act, and assess whether leisure contacts should be appointed as ordinary employees, says Hege Mygland. She is department director at KS. Hege Mygland, department director in KS. Photo: Tore Linvollen / news – Our clear impression now is that the trend is from assignments to employment in the municipalities. The service itself is organized in different ways because the different users have different needs. The municipalities have room for action here. She does not want to comment too much on the criticism from the Trade Union’s lawyer against the municipalities. Nor Frank Hansen’s frustration. – This is a reimbursement issue that the municipalities must handle on their own. But it is clear that this is an important service that must be valued in the right way, says Mygland. Hello! I have written this case. Do you have any input on this case or tips for something else I should look into? Do not hesitate to send me an email. Published 03/09/2024, at 05.15
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