dagsats

dagsats is a term used primarily in Scandinavia to denote a daily rate or fee that a professional, contractor, or service provider charges for work performed over a 24‑hour period. The word originates from the Norwegian and Danish words for “day” (dag) and “rate” (sats). In the United States it is often referred to as a daily rate or day rate.

The dagsats is most common in industries where work is billed in daily increments rather than hourly or by projects, such as construction, engineering, legal services, and consulting. It is also frequently used to calculate payments for temporary work or subcontracted labor. The rate can include not only the direct labor cost but also overhead, equipment use, and profit margin. Firms typically set their dagsats based on market conditions, individual qualifications, and the complexity of the task.

A daily rate is calculated by dividing a contractor’s annual or monthly salary by the number of working days in that period. For example, an employee earning 300,000 Norwegian kroner per year divided by 220 working days results in a dagsats of approximately 1,364 kroner per day. Some companies round the figure up to simplify billing or add a surcharge for weekend or night work.

In private contracts a dagsats may be negotiated in advance and documented in a written agreement. For public procurement in Norway and Denmark, a standard dagsats may be regulated by collective bargaining agreements or government guidelines. In some jurisdictions the payment of a dagsats is subject to labor laws, including statutory minimum pay and overtime regulations.

The term is understood by both employers and employees, and it allows for transparent, predictable budget planning. It also facilitates comparisons between service providers with different hourly rates, as the daily amount can reflect a fuller picture of the total cost of a project that spans multiple days.