In Sweden, the rules regarding job notice periods are pretty clear and based on work time. In this article, we’re going to look at how these work, the difference between what’s written in the law and what you can agree on with your boss, and how different types of jobs have different rules. We’ll also touch on why these rules exist in the first place, what happens if they’re not followed, and how collective agreements can change things. It’s a lot to cover, so let’s get going!

How Job Notice Periods Work for Employers in Sweden

For employers in Sweden, a notice period is the time they need to wait before an employee’s departure becomes official.

This period is crucial as it gives employers time to plan for the transition, whether that means finding a replacement or redistributing the departing employee’s workload.

It’s important to note that the length of the notice period often depends on how long the employee has been with the company, which kind of makes sense, right?

I mean: the longer someone’s been at a job, the more time they should be given to prepare for their exit. Conversely, employees with less experience typically require less notice.

In that context, Swedish law has a structured approach to notice periods, ensuring a fair setup for both parties involved, here it is:

• Less than 6 months employed: Typically, the notice period is 1 month.
• 6 months to 2 years employed: The notice period remains at 1 month.
• 2 to 4 years employed: Employees need to give 2 months’ notice.
• 4 to 6 years employed: The notice period increases to 3 months.
• 6 to 8 years employed: Here, it extends to 4 months.
• 8 to 10 years employed: Employees should provide a 5-month notice.
• More than 10 years employed: The notice period maxes out at 6 months.

You might be interested in: Unemployment benefits in Sweden?

How Job Notice Periods Work for Employees in Sweden

Now, from the perspective of employees in Sweden, a notice period acts as a set timeframe they must communicate the employer before officially leaving their job.

This provides employees the opportunity to wrap up their responsibilities and perhaps even assist in the search for their replacement.

Swedish law outlines specific durations for notice periods given by employees:

• For employment less than 6 months: The notice period is usually 1 month.
• For employment lasting longer: The notice period typically remains at 1 month, regardless of how long you’ve been employed.

Employers are Required to Provide Longer Notice Periods

As you may notice, employers need to give a much longer notice period to employees than employees to their employers when they quit, particularly when these employees have worked in the company for more than 2 years.

This happens because Swedish employment laws are committed to protecting workers’ rights and ensuring they have ample time to adjust to their new circumstances.

You might be interested in: How to submit resignation letter in Sweden?

The Influence of Contracts Agreements

I believe it’s essential to note that individual employment contracts or collective agreements might stipulate longer notice periods, especially for those in more senior positions or with longer tenure.

These terms should be mutually agreed upon and clearly outlined in the employment contract.

Statutory vs. Contractual Notice Periods

As explained, in Sweden, the minimum job notice period set by law (statutory notice period) for employees is 1 month, while employers are bound by statutory notice periods that increase with the employee’s length of service, starting from 1 month for those with less than 2 years of service and extending up to 6 months for those with more than 10 years of service.

Now, can job notice periods be negotiated as you can negotiate other things (i.e. your salary)?

Well, the Swedish labor law does offer some room for negotiation regarding job notice periods.

In fact, employers and employees can agree on longer notice periods than the statutory requirements through individual employment contracts. This is often the case for higher-level positions, where both parties might see the benefit in ensuring a longer transition time.

However, negotiating shorter notice periods than the law prescribes is difficult because it would undercut the intended legal protections for employees.

Job Notice Periods and Collective Agreements

Collective agreements can influence job notice periods for some employers in Sweden.

These can set out different notice periods than the general law says, often tailoring them to fit the needs of that particular job sector better.

For example: In a field like healthcare, where it’s really important to have enough staff all the time, the agreement might specify even longer notice periods for both sides to ensure there’s always enough people to keep things running smoothly.

Job Notice Periods by Employment Type

The job notice period in Sweden can vary depending on the type of employment:

Full-Time Employees

For full-time employees, the notice period typically starts at 1 month for both the employee and employer.

However, it’s important no note that the job notice period increases for the employer based on the length of employment, going up to several months for those with many years of service (as explained before).

What do I mean by terms of employment?

It means the length of your job notice period depends on how many months or years you’ve worked, not on how many hours you’ve put in (so forget about getting a longer job notice period if you’ve been doing extra hours!)

Part-Time Employees

Part-time employees are subject to the same notice period regulations as full-time employees.

However, the duration of their job notice doesn’t change because of the number of hours worked; it’s more about the length of service.

What do I mean by that?

That the job notice period will be determined by how long they’ve been working for the company, not the effective hours.

So, a part-time employee who has been with a company for several years would have the same notice period requirements as a full-time employee with the same length of service.

Employees on Probation

Employees on probation usually have a shorter notice period which reflects the trial nature of the employment, allowing both sides to part ways more easily if the fit isn’t right.

In fact, it’s common for both parties—employer and employee—to agree on a notice period of 2 weeks during the probationary period.

Freelancers

Freelancers and self employed people are a bit different since they’re not employees but contractors so their notice periods are determined by the terms of the contract they sign with the company or client.

These can vary widely depending on the negotiation between the freelancer and the client.

You might be interested in: Freelancing in Sweden?

Reasons for Termination

As an employee in Sweden, you’ll not only enjoy good salaries and other great benefits (such as 25 vacation days a year or excellent parental leave and sick leave conditions), but you’ll also be safe from getting terminated from your job under unfair circumstances even if the employer respected (or not) the job notice period.

So, what are the reasons that would make the termination legal during the job notice period?

Well… these reasons include:

• Economic: Such as downsizing or restructuring due to financial challenges, or reduced demand leading to a workforce reduction.
• Performance: Where an employee consistently underperforms despite feedback and opportunities for improvement.
• Misconduct: Including violations of workplace policies, unethical behavior, or other serious breaches of conduct.
• Operational: Significant business changes like mergers, acquisitions, or the ending of certain operations that make a position redundant.
• Insubordination: Failure to carry out reasonable job duties or follow lawful orders from supervisors.

In case your employer decides to fire you without a valid reason (i.e. because you don’t speak Swedish), then you could have a case for wrongful termination, even if they fire you during the probation period.

What Happens if you DON’T Follow the Job Notice Period?

Not adhering to the job notice period in Sweden can have serious consequences (particularly for employers), as these periods part of the Swedish law.

Here’s what could happen:

From the Employer’s Perspective:

An employer who terminates an employee without adhering to the required notice period might be liable to pay compensation for the unobserved notice period.

This compensation can include not only the due paycheck but also other benefits the employee would have received, such as:

• Accrued vacation pay
• Pension contributions
• Bonuses or performance-related pay

Also, there’s the risk that the employee could take legal action against the employer for wrongful termination, leading to potential court cases, which can be very costly.

Oh, and let’s not forget that if the employee is a union member, the employer might also face disputes from the union, further complicating the situation.

From the Employee’s Perspective

An employee who leaves without serving the notice period may lose entitlements to certain benefits, such as accrued vacation pay or bonuses.

Another factor to consider is that, in Sweden, leaving a job abruptly without following the proper notice period can damage an employee’s professional reputation, potentially making it harder to find future employment, regardless of how hard you work on your CV, cover letter and HR interview skills!