Background information

AFA Insurance is owned by the social partners. The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) and the Council for Negotiation and Cooperation (PTK). AFA provides insurance for employees in the private sector as well as the public sector, i.e. municipalities and regions. The operations within AFA Insurance are run on a non-profit basis, which means that dividends are not paid to the owners. The AFA insurances are determined in collective agreements or other agreements between the social partners.

AFA has a large research and development unit which conducts research on issues work environment and health issues. Within the framework of AFA Insurance's research areas work environment and health, the social partners are now investing in research that will investigate how the ongoing spread of COVID-19 affects working life and health from different perspectives.

Content of measure

So far 18 projects have been granted research funding to find out more about the effects of COVID-19 on work environment and health. AFA Insurance accepts applications within the framework of the COVID-19 call until 1 October 2020.

Only academics conducting research on research institutes and universities are eligible for the grant. The projects accepted to this day have received between SEK 1 and 5 million in grant (€100,000-500,000).

An example of a project that have received funding is a project at the Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute. It is about how bus drivers' work environment and health have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The project has received about SEK 3.2 million (€320,000). The project includes regional public transport authorities and bus operators to provide a broader picture of drivers' work situation and experiences during the pandemic.

AFA Insurance invests approximately SEK 150 million (€15 million) annually in research and development aimed at preventing ill health and occupational injuries in both private business and municipalities and regions.

Use of measure

18 projects have been granted research funding to find out more about the effects of COVID-19 on work environment and health.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Applies to all workers	Applies to all businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Trade unions Employers' organisations Company / Companies	Employers organisation Trade union

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative
Form	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies

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

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

Within the framework of AFA Insurance's research areas work environment and health, the social partners are now investing in research that will investigate how the ongoing spread of COVID-19 affects working life and health from different perspectives. 18 projects are now being granted research funding to find out more about the effects of COVID-19 in these areas.

Views and reactions

The social partner's views are supportive.

Sources

• 17 September 2020: AFA Insurance (www.afaforsakring.se)