Increased international business activity has resulted in higher numbers of employees working abroad, and many Norwegian companies have extensive experience in assigning their employees internationally, particularly in the oil & gas and shipping industries.
Because of these activities, employees face greater risks and threats to their health, safety, and wellbeing. Many employees, for example, travel to remote areas with poor health and safety conditions where both the working environment and the society are very different from what they are used to in Norway. In addition to this, unexpected situations, such as the Ebola and Zika outbreaks and terrorist attacks, increase the health and safety risk to employees working abroad. Employers must therefore take into consideration the ethical and legal implications of short and long-term international assignments.