After this period, benefits from the National Insurance Scheme are capped at 6G. For employees earning above this threshold, compensation for earnings above 6G during longer sickness absence may also depend on employer practices, collective agreements and individual employment contracts. This report examines how many employees earn above 6G, how this group is composed, how its sickness absence compares with that of employees earning at or below 6G, and the extent to which earnings above 6G are covered during longer absence spells.

In November 2025, 747,966 employees had annualised earnings above 6G in their main job. This represented 28 per cent of all employees. The share increased from 25 per cent in 2016 but was relatively stable from 2019 onwards, while the total number of employees continued to grow. Average annual salary was NOK 741,300 in 2025. Earnings above 6G are more common in the private sector, among managers and in occupations requiring higher education. Some industries also have high shares of employees earning above 6G, and the share is higher in larger enterprises.

Employees earning above 6G generally have lower doctor-certified sickness absence than employees earning at or below 6G. In 2024, 13 per cent of employees earning above 6G had at least one doctor-certified sickness absence spell that began that year and lasted more than 16 calendar days. The corresponding share among employees earning at or below 6G was 18 per cent. The sickness absence rates for these spells were 2.6 and 3.6 per cent, respectively. Despite this difference in levels, the two earnings groups experienced similar relative increases in sickness absence rates from 2016 to 2024. Sickness absence varies across sexes, sectors, occupations and industries. In the private sector, men earning above 6G had lower sickness absence than men earning at or below 6G, whereas women had approximately the same rate in both earnings groups.

The analysis of earnings coverage is limited to the private sector and includes employees earning above 6G who had sickness absences lasting more than 16 calendar days. In 2024, nearly 69 per cent had at least one spell in which registered earnings and sickness benefit payments together amounted to at least 90 per cent of expected earnings. Around 21 per cent had partial coverage, while approximately 10 per cent had no identified coverage above 6G.

verage varies across groups in the labour market. High coverage is most common among employees with higher education and among managers and professionals. It is less common in sales and service occupations and in industries with lower average earnings. The differences also relate to workplace characteristics, including enterprise size and industry. The analysis does not identify who finances any additional coverage.

The report describes observed patterns and associations. It cannot establish how changes to sickness benefit regulations would affect sickness absence or explain which characteristics and relationships drive changes in sickness absence over time.