Background information

In order to support parents who:

1. cannot work since they need to stay at home with their child due to closure of schools or;
2. parents who stay home with a child that has recently been severely ill, the Government has made temporary changes to the parental allowance.

The legal basis for this measure is Decree (2020:244) on parental leave due to COVID-19 (Förordning (2020:244) om viss tillfällig föräldrapenning med anledning av sjukdomen COVID-19).

Content of measure

This form of parental leave is available for parents that need to stay home due to:

1. Closure of school due to COVID-19;
2. Their child has been seriously ill or in case they need to be protected from the COVID-19 virus due to the illness or a treatment they get for the illness.

Parents receive approximately 90% of the regular temporary parental leave. The regular temporary parental leave is approximately 80% of the income qualifying for sickness benefit.

In addition, a statement from a doctor is not temporarily required for children between 12 and 16.

There is no information available regarding the total budget of this measure.

Use of measure

No information available.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Parents in employment The COVID-19 risk group at the workplace	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Social insurance	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Unknown	Unknown

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

The social partners have been consulted during the design phase of this measure. They do not have a role in the design or monitoring of this measure.

Views and reactions

The Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) welcomes this measure. However, they have also criticised this measure for instance due to the lower compensation level than in the case of the regular parental allowance scheme.

Sources

• 16 April 2020: LOs yttrande över pm Tillfälliga bestämmelser om tillfällig föräldrapenning med anledning av covid-19, S2020/03216/SF (www.regeringen.se)
• 23 May 2020: Förordning (2020:244) om viss tillfällig föräldrapenning med anledning av sjukdomen covid-19 (www.riksdagen.se)
• 13 January 2021: Åtgärder på socialförsäkringsområdet med anledning av coronaviruset (www.regeringen.se)
• 17 September 2021: Fortsatt beredskap för att hantera COVID-19 pandemin [Continued preparedness to handle the COVID-19 pandemic] (www.regeringen.se)
• 07 January 2022: Regeringen presenterar åtgärdsplan för införande av fler smittskyddsåtgärder från och med 8 december 2021 [The Government proposes new support measures] (www.regeringen.se)