Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Factsheet for measure SE-2020-11/566 – Updated – measures in Sweden
Country | Sweden , applies nationwide |
Time period | Temporary, 11 March 2020 – 31 March 2022 |
Context | COVID-19 |
Type | Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Category |
Income protection beyond short-time work
– Paid sick leave |
Author | Anna-Karin Gustafsson (Oxford Research) and Eurofound |
Measure added | 13 April 2020 (updated 07 February 2022) |
To reduce the risk of the virus spreading, the sick pay standard deduction has been temporarily discontinued. Under normal circumstances the deduction is 20% of sick pay and a one-off amount based on an average work week. The measure aims to incentivise employees to stay home from work if they experience symptoms. The measure is regulated in the Ordinance (2020:195) on certain sickness benefit relating to the illness COVID-19 (Förordning om vissa sjukpenningförmåner med anledning av sjukdomen COVID-19).
The government has decided to temporarily suspend the deduction from sick pay. This means that you can apply for a retroactive reimbursement for deductions that your employer has made from your sick pay from 11 March 2020. All workers who become sick - not exclusively those with suspected COVID-19 - are eligible for reimbursement. Employed persons will be reimbursed SEK 700 before taxes. Self-employed persons will receive SEK 804 before taxes for each day they are ill during the qualifying period.
Unemployed and employees currently on parental leave apply for sickness benefit from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) as usual. This is also the case if you do not receive sick pay from your employer. Försäkringskassan will not make a deductions from individuals' sickness benefit.
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
07 December 2021 |
The Government proposes re-activation of this measure. The measure will be in force until March 2021. |
01 June 2021 |
The Government has decided to extend the duration of this measure until the end of September 2021. |
13 January 2021 |
The Government has decided to extend the duration of this measure until the end of April 2021. In addition, the amount of the reimbursement increases from SEK 804 to SEK 810 (approximately €80). The reimbursement for self-employed increased to SEK 810 for the first 14 days of the sick leave. |
As all who become sick - not exclusively those with suspected COVID-19 - are eligible for reimbursement, the number of workers receiving the reimbursement is expected to be very large. At the date of announcement, the measure was expected to cost the government SEK 1 billion per month.
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Employees in standard employment
Self-employed |
Does not apply to businesses | Does not apply to citizens |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
National government
Social insurance |
National funds
|
Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:
Trade unions | Employers' organisations | |
---|---|---|
Role | Informed | Informed |
Form | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
No information available.
The Swedish Municipal Workers’ Union (Kommunal) and the Swedish Association of Health Professionals (Vårdförbundet) would like this measure to become permanent. They argue that the sick pay reduction results in people going to work while being ill.
Citation
Eurofound (2020), Sick pay standard reduction suspended - Encouraging employees to stay home, measure SE-2020-11/566 (measures in Sweden), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/SE-2020-11_566.html
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