Fastlønn

Fastlønn, or fixed salary, is a wage arrangement in which an employee receives a predetermined, regular sum of money, typically monthly, regardless of the number of hours worked or the amount of work completed in a pay period. The fixed amount is defined in the employment contract and is a common arrangement for many white-collar occupations, managers, professionals, and public sector employees. In Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish usage, the equivalent term refers to a fixed salary paid at regular intervals.

Fixed salaries may include a baseline guarantee, with overtime or additional compensation governed by law or collective bargaining agreements. In practice, overtime for salaried employees is often paid as a separate allowance or offset by time off, depending on jurisdiction and contract. Salaries are usually paid on a monthly basis and may be subject to deductions for taxes and social security just like other earnings. Part-time workers may have their fastlønn prorated according to the portion of full-time hours.

Compared with hourly wages or performance-based pay, fastlønn offers income stability and predictability for budgeting and planning. For employers, it simplifies payroll and administration but can reduce the direct link between workload and pay, which may influence overtime and productivity dynamics.

Typical sectors include administration, management, professional services, engineering, and government offices, especially where collective agreements set standard working hours. Variants exist across countries, and terms differ; the underlying concept is a fixed regular remuneration independent of exact hours within the agreed schedule.