Artikel Body
Seafarers must have a written contract (articles of agreement) when intending to serve on board a ship.
The contract must have been concluded no later than when entering service on
board the ship. The contract is made between you and the master/shipowner or any
other employer that is not the shipowner.
The employment contract must contain at least the following:
- Your full name, date, year and place of birth. If you do not know your year
of birth, your age can be given instead.
- The name and address of the employer.
- Place and date of employment contract conclusion.
- The position for which you have been hired.
- The date when you are to take up your duties.
- The date from which wages are to be paid.
- The size of the wages.
- Place of discharge and term of notice. If the employment is temporary, this
must be stated as well as information about when the contract lapses.
- Rights as regards holidays, holiday allowances or wages during holidays.
- Ordinary daily or weekly working hours.
- Right of repatriation.
- The shipowner’s and employer’s obligation to provide health protection and
social security for the employee.
- Indication of the collective agreement or other agreement that regulates the
employment. If the collective agreement or other agreement has been concluded by
parties outside the company, the identity of these parties must be
given.
When the employment is terminated, the date when the dismissal/resignation
was given must be given in writing. The reason for the termination of the
employment must also be given.
It is sufficient if the employment contract refers to relevant regulation,
including legislation and collective agreements. The information given in items
6-12 may, thus, be evident from current legislation, such as the act on
seafarers’ conditions of employment, etc. and the regulations on holidays for
seafarers. They may also be evident from a collective agreement, such as the
size of the wages. Consequently, the information need not be written directly in
the employment contract.
The seafarer is entitled to get an original copy of the employment
contract signed by the employer.
The seafarer must bring along a copy of the employment contract for the master when
you sign on. The master must keep it on board for as long as the seafarer serves on
board. It is possible to store the agreement electronically.
The seafarer must have a possibility of going through the employment contract and
seeking advice about its contents before signing it. The seafarer is free to choose
from whom to seek advice, but he or she must cover any expenses in this
connection.