Victorious with Caritas 's help

Katarzyna and Mickael, both from Poland, met on the job as office workers in Oslo, but soon found that their employer withheld both holiday pay and changed their working hours without their consent. With the help of Caritas and lawyer Leila, they won their fight against injustice and got their rightful benefits back.

Katarzyna, a sales trainer from Poland, loved her job in the cosmetics industry. She traveled around to pharmacies and trained pharmacists. When the pandemic hit, everyday life was turned upside down. Pharmacies closed for visits and sales targets became unattainable. Katarzyna decided to move to Norway in January 2021, hoping for new opportunities.

Mickael, also from Poland, had a different journey. He came to Norway to seek better economic conditions. He started in the security industry and eventually got a stable job, but felt that the language barrier was a big challenge in everyday life. Despite the uncertainty and cultural differences, he quickly found a routine in his new life in Norway. He worked for that company for 5 years, before quitting due to lack of payment.

They both found themselves in a similar situation when they met working as office workers at an embassy in Oslo, positions that turned out to be more focused on security than administration. The job was low-paid, and Katarzyna eventually discovered that she hadn't been paid holiday pay. She took the matter up with her boss, who turned her down. This happened at the same time as Mickael also began to notice that conditions in the workplace were not right.

Katarzyna, who wasn't sure where to get help, got a tip from a neighbor to contact Caritas Norway. Through Caritas , she and Mickael met Leila, a lawyer who offered to take their cases. Leila helped them both understand their rights and they agreed to take the case forward. They discovered that their employer had not only withheld holiday pay, but also cut their working hours without their consent.

The process took time, but with the support of Leila and Caritas they won both cases. They received compensation for both holiday pay and lost income. After the long fight against injustice, both Katarzyna and Mickael felt that they had grown stronger from the experience. Katarzyna continued to work on her language skills and took free Norwegian courses offered by Caritas . Mickael also started learning Norwegian and found security in the community offered by Caritas . Together they experienced how Caritas had made a big difference in their lives.

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The Autumn Appeal is an important fundraising campaign where we raise funds for Caritas Norway's work both in Norway and internationally. Through this campaign, we help to create positive changes in the lives of people who need it most.

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