The article from Aftenposten highlights the critical need for full-time employment in Norway's healthcare and social services sectors to support a robust welfare state. Currently, there is a growing demand for healthcare services, but municipalities are struggling to find qualified staff, leading to many employees working involuntarily part-time. This situation not only impacts individual workers but poses a significant challenge for the welfare state as a whole, making the argument for full-time employment as the standard rather than the exception.

Additionally, the article points to recent rulings by the EU which assert that part-time workers who exceed their contracted hours should receive financial compensation. Similar legal considerations are being evaluated in the Norwegian judicial system. As the country awaits final judgments on these matters, it urges employers in Norway to take proactive steps to make full-time positions the norm, rather than relying on pending legal processes to dictate their approach to staffing in a critical sector.

The current structure of the healthcare and social services sector is heavily reliant on part-time roles, leading to a workforce that is fragmented and financially strained as employees juggle multiple small jobs or extra shifts to make ends meet. Such an unstable work environment detracts from the quality of care provided and harms the overall welfare system, underscoring the urgency for policy changes towards a more full-time oriented employment model that better secures the welfare of both workers and citizens in Norway.