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Discrimination: your rights and how to complain

Draft, translated: translated from the Norwegian original with the help of a language model, and may contain errors. The Norwegian version is the authoritative one. See the Norwegian original →

Are you being treated worse because of your gender, age, disability, ethnicity or other characteristics? Free guidance and a free complaints system are available.

Norwegian original last checked against official sources: 22 September 2026. Rules and figures change, so always check the official site before you act.

Discrimination means being treated worse than others, without a reasonable justification, because of something about you as a person. It can happen in dealings with an employer, a shop, a landlord or a public authority. You don't need a lawyer to get help or to complain.

What counts as discrimination?

The law prohibits unequal treatment based on, among other things:

  • gender, pregnancy, leave at birth or adoption, caring responsibilities,
  • ethnicity, religion, belief,
  • disability,
  • sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
  • age,
  • or a combination of several of these.

It can be direct unequal treatment, where you are treated worse than others would be in the same situation, or indirect unequal treatment, where an apparently neutral rule or practice in reality puts you at a disadvantage. Harassment, meaning actions or statements experienced as offensive, frightening, hostile or degrading, also counts as discrimination.

Free guidance: the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud (LDO)

LDO gives free guidance on the regulations and on your case, at no cost to you. You can remain anonymous when you contact them.

  • Phone: 40 02 33 50, during business hours on weekdays. Check opening hours at ldo.no, as they may vary.
  • Form: LDO has a contact form in several languages, also without logging in. An advisor usually gets in touch within 15 working days.
  • If you need an interpreter, LDO can arrange it.

LDO cannot write the complaint for you or decide your case, but can help you understand whether what you have experienced may be discrimination, and what is useful to include if you choose to complain further.

Complaint: the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal

The Anti-Discrimination Tribunal (Diskrimineringsnemnda) is a separate public body that decides complaints about discrimination, harassment and retaliation. It is free, and you don't need a lawyer.

How to proceed:

  1. Write down what happened: when, where, who was involved, and why you believe it relates to one of the grounds above. It can help to make a timeline.
  2. Gather documentation, for example emails, messages, decisions or witnesses.
  3. Submit the complaint electronically at diskrimineringsnemnda.no. You can also call the secretariat and get help dictating the complaint, see contact details at diskrimineringsnemnda.no.

The person you complain about is informed about the complaint and gets to respond, so it is a two-party process.

Deadline: If what you experienced happened more than three years ago, the tribunal can dismiss the case.

What can the tribunal decide?

The tribunal can, among other things, establish that discrimination has occurred, and order that it stop. The tribunal can also award compensation for non-economic loss in cases concerning employment, and damages in simpler cases, both within and outside working life. If your case involves a more complex settlement, it may end up that you have to go to the courts to have the compensation claim decided in full.

The tribunal's decision cannot be appealed to a higher administrative body, but can be brought before the courts.

Tip: If you are unsure whether what you experienced actually counts as discrimination under the law, it's a good idea to start with free guidance from LDO before complaining to the tribunal.

Sources

Kontaktpunkt24 gives general information, not legal advice. If you need help with your own case, contact a lawyer, a legal aid service, or the relevant authority.

This page is translated from Norwegian with the help of a language model, and may contain errors. The Norwegian version is always the authoritative one.