Workplace ID Cards and Workplace Inspection

On 15 August 2010 an agreement between ASÍ (Icelandic Confederation of Labour) and SA (Confederation of Icelandic Employers) on workplace ID cards and workplace inspection entered into force. The agreement was modified and extended on 5th of May 2011 and again on 16th of April 2013. The agreements builds on Act no. 42/2010 on the same subject, which grants Confederations of trade unions and employers (the Social Partners) on the labour market, authority to decide by collective agreements which industries and occupations fall within the scope of the Act at any given time. All employers in the respective industries are obligated to see to it that their employees get workplace ID cards when they begin working.

Where is it obligatory to carry a workplace ID card?

All companies within the building and construction industries, hotel and restaurant industries, retail sale in small non-specialised stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating, manufacture of furniture, manufacture of glass and other non-metallic mineral products, processing and preserving of meat, manufacture of grain mill, bakery and farinaceous products, manufacture and repair of motor vehicles and related industries, renting and leasing of motor vehicles, manufacture of electrical equipment, manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment, telecommunications, computer programming, consultancy and related activities, private security activities, water collection, treatment and supply and sewerage , crop production, raising of swine/pigs and of poultry and related service activities, land transport, travel agency, tour operator reservation service and related activities, landscape service activities and other personal service activities operating in Iceland fall within the scope of the agreement. The ÍSAT2008 Occupational Classifications in the Directorate of Internal Revenue’s Register of Companies forms the criteria (see referances to statistical classification of economic activities NACE Revision 2 attached to ASÍ and SA’s agreement, „Fylgiskjal 1“ and „Fylgiskjal 2„. See also Accompanying Document 1 and Accompanying Document 2 in the english translation of the agreement. The NACE Revision 2 in english is here). ASÍ and SA’s agreement also defines which employers and employees within these industries are subject to monitoring.

Workplace ID cards

An employer shall prepare or have prepared cards containing information specified in the Act and ASÍ and SA’s agreement. The employer is responsible for issuing the workplace ID cards and the information stated therein.

The following information shall appear on a workplace ID card:

The name, Icelandic National ID of the employee and a job title, along with a picture. If an employee of a foreign service company does not have an Icelandic National ID, the employee’s birth date and year shall be recorded.

The employer’s/companies name/designation as recorded in the Directorate of Internal Revenue’s Register of Companies (or the name/designation of foreign company or employment agency as registered at the Directorate of Labour). For further information see article 5 of the agreement.

Workplace inspection

The goal of workplace ID cards and inspection of workplaces is to ensure that employers and their employees comply with relevant legislation, regulations and wage agreements. ASÍ and SA’s Consultative Committee has granted authority to inspectors from the Social Partners to do the inspection. By Act no. 42/2010 and the agreement by ASÍ and SA inspectors may visit the company to inspect that the employer and the employees work in accordance with the current rules. The inspectors shall be admitted to workplaces for this purpose. Employer and his employees shall carry their workplace ID cards and be ready to present them upon an inspector’s request. In this respect “Employer” also means an individual that is self-employed.

Article 6 of ASÍ and SA’s agreement states that if there is no union representative at a workplace, an inspector from the union can request access to information on the basis of ASÍ and SA’s Agreement on Foreigners on the Icelandic Labour Market. For further details see here.

The Act also stipulates that inspectors shall send the information stated on workplace ID cards to the tax authorities, the Directorate of Labour, the Social Insurance Administration, chiefs of police and, when relevant, the Directorate of Immigration and the National Registry, so that it is possible to check whether the employer or employee is working in accordance with the relevant Act that each institution is to implement.

Further information

Further information on workplace ID cards and workplace inspection can be obtained by contacting ASÍ and SA’s Consultative Committee.

The Consultative Committee’s postal address is:
Icelandic Confederation of Labour – ASÍ
Att: ASÍ and SA’s Consultative Committee on Workplace Inspection
Guðrúnartúni 1
105 Reykjavik

It is also possible to address the committee by e-mail at halldor@asi.is.