The Faroese work market is organised with agreements, laws, and regulations. The work market has rights concerning working environment, work injuries, disease, unemployment, holiday pay and maternity/ paternity leave.

The law concerning working environment dictates that you have the right to a safe and healthy working environment. If you become the victim of a working accident, you must make sure that the employer reports the accident to The Faroese Working Environment Service, which will investigate whether the rules in the working environment law are obeyed.

All workers are insured against working injuries. If you are the victim of a working accident on the workplace, then it is very important that you make sure that the incident is notified to the Faroese non-life insurance council (Føroya Vanlukkutryggingarráð) within one year. The insurance is not valid if the notification is sent to the council more than one year after the accident. The Faroese non-life insurance council determines if the insurance covers the injury.

If a wage earner who has been with the same employer for more than 9 consecutive years becomes unfit for work because of a work injury, which is verified by a doctor’s certificate, then the worker cannot be fired before 6 months have passed since the injury occurred. This is only valid, however until the wage earner is fit for work again.

Please contact the union and it can help and advise you if you have been in a work accident. Through the years, the Faroese Workers’ Union has helped a great number of members that have been in accidents at work, and it has helped them get thousands of kroners in compensation.