The Norwegian Gender-Equality Act’s General Clause (Section 3, 3rd paragraph) paves the way for local agreements pertaining to positive action and preferential treatment. The procedure for preferential treatment governs the formal aspects of recruitment and promotions in all public sector organizations. Preferential treatment is to be implemented only in cases where women represent less than 40% of the specific position level and when the qualifications of two or more candidates are relatively equal (Teigen, 2002).

Teigen, M., 2002. “The suitable few: managerial recruitment practices in the Norwegian state bureaucracy,” Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 197-215, June