When working in Sweden, you have the right to take sick leave if you’re really not feeling well.

But it’s not just about saying you’re sick; there are steps to follow to make sure everything is done right.

So, now, let’s look into who can take sick leave, why you might need to, and what steps you need to follow to make sure you can take your sick leave without any worry.

Who Is Entitled for a Sick Leave in Sweden?

In Sweden, pretty much anyone who works has the right to take paid sick leave, regardless of the level of work experience you got.

And this isn’t just for people with traditional 9-to-5 jobs, we’re also talking about freelancers, self-employed individuals, and part-time workers who are also included.

If you’re sickness lasts two weeks or less, your employer is responsible to pay at least 80% of your salary but if it lasts longer, the Swedish social security system, known as Försäkringskassan, plays a big part in this process, ensuring that workers are supported during their sick leave.

Here’s how Försäkringskassan’s participation breaks down in detail:

• First Day of Illness: Typically, the first day you’re sick, known as a “karensdag” or waiting day, isn’t covered by any pay. This is a day for which you won’t receive any compensation, designed to discourage minor or unnecessary absences.
• Day 2 to Day 14: For this period, your employer is responsible for paying you sick pay (sjuklön). The amount is usually about 80% of your regular salary. Employers can then claim reimbursement from Försäkringskassan for part of this cost.
• After the 14th Day: If you’re still unable to work due to illness after two weeks, Försäkringskassan steps in to provide sickness benefits (sjukpenning). Again, the compensation is aimed to be around 80% of your usual salary.

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Reasons to Take Sick Leave in Sweden

In Sweden, the ideas is that any health issue that prevents you from performing your work duties effectively qualifies for sick leave.

Here are specific cases where you absolutely must inform your employer about taking sick leave:

1. Inability to work due to sickness: This might seem obvious, but if you’re sick to the point where you can’t do your job—whether it’s a cold, flu, or something more serious—you need to tell your employer.
2. Injury: If you’ve been injured and the injury prevents you from working, you must inform your employer. This could be anything from a sprained ankle to more serious injuries requiring hospitalization.
3. Scheduled Medical Procedures: If you have a planned surgery or medical procedure that will require you to take time off, you should inform your employer as soon as you have the dates.
4. Pregnancy-related Illnesses: If you experience health issues related to pregnancy that make it impossible for you to work, you need to notify your employer.
5. Mental Health Days: Sweden recognizes the importance of mental health, and if you’re experiencing severe stress, burnout, or other mental health issues that prevent you from working, it’s important to communicate this with your employer so you can get a mental health sick leave
6. Infectious Diseases: If you have an infectious disease that could potentially spread to coworkers, it’s crucial to inform your employer.

My conclusion?

Even if it took you a lot of effort to find a job in Sweden, if you get sick, you are entitled to take a sick leave without it risking the chance of loosing your job.

Requirements for Sickness Benefit in Sweden

To be eligible for sickness benefits in Sweden, just like with other Swedish employment benefits (i.e. parental allowance), employees must meet certain criteria and present specific documents:

• Income Threshold:
  • There’s a minimum income requirement. You must have earned a certain amount of money from work before you can receive sickness benefits. To be eligible for sickness benefits in Sweden for the year 2024, you need to earn at least SEK 13,700 per year
• Notification and Certification:
  • Notify your employer on the first day of sickness. Immediate communication is key.
  • If sick for more than 7 days, provide a medical certificate to your employer and Försäkringskassan. This certificate must prove your inability to work due to health reasons.
• Fulfilling the Work Ability Criteria:
  • The reason for your sick leave must be due to illness or injury that prevents you from working as usual. A healthcare professional must assess and confirm this.
• Ongoing Requirements for Extended Sick Leave:
  • For longer periods of sick leave, you might be required to submit additional documentation or undergo further medical evaluations to continue receiving benefits from Försäkringskassan

How to Inform your Employer about Sick Leave in Sweden?

To inform your employer about sick leave in Sweden, you should:

• Notify your employer on the first day you’re sick.
• Visit a doctor if the illness lasts more than 7 days to get a medical certificate.
• Submit the medical certificate to your employer and, if applicable, to Försäkringskassan for sick leave extending beyond 14 days (they have support in English too, don’t worry about it)

How Much Does a Worker Receive For Sick Paid Leave in Sweden?

In Sweden, sick pay is based on your main salary. Typically, you’ll receive around 80% of your salary as sick pay.

However, there are ceilings which limit the maximum amount you can receive. For the year 2024, the maximum amount you can receive for sick leave in Sweden is capped at a sickness benefit qualifying income (SGI) of SEK 573,000.

How Many Sick Days Can an Employer Expect to Take Each Year?

In contrast with other countries (I’m looking at you USA!), in Sweden, there’s no fixed maximum for the number of sick days an employee can take each year.

However, for the first 14 days of illness, the employer pays sick leave (after the initial waiting day) while if you’re sick for a longer period, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) may provide sickness benefits. (You might be interested in: How does the Social insurance system work in Sweden)

This helps prevent undue financial burden on employers for extended illnesses while ensuring employees are supported during longer periods of health-related absence from work.

What Should a Sick Note Include in Sweden?

Alright, you’ve told your employer that you’re unable to fill your work schedule due to illness and are heading to the doctor, who will, hopefully, provide a medical certificate to confirm your condition.

But.. what does that sick note must include?

A sick note in Sweden should include these elements:

• Doctor’s Confirmation: Verification that you’re medically unfit to work.
• Illness Description: Brief description of the illness or condition.
• Impact on Work: Explanation of how the illness prevents you from performing your duties.
• Duration: Estimated start and end dates of the sick leave.
• Recommendations: Any suggested workplace adjustments for your return.

How many days sick leave without certificate?

Well, in Sweden, you can be on sick leave without a doctor’s note for the first 7 days.

Starting from the 8th day, you’ll need a doctor’s certificate to continue receiving sick leave benefits and to prove the necessity of your absence to your employer.

Do Swedish Employers Pay Sick Leave?

Yes, Swedish employers pay sick leave for the first 14 days, minus the waiting day, to support employees during short-term illnesses.

They stop paying if the employee remains sick beyond this period, at which point the Swedish Social Insurance Agency may take over.

Employers can stop paying if an employee fails to provide necessary documentation to the hr department, such as a medical certificate, or if the sickness extends beyond their responsibility period.

How Does Paid Sick Leave Work if You’re Privately Insured?

If you’re privately insured and become sick in Sweden, your private insurance might offer additional benefits on top of what your employer pays or what you receive from Försäkringskassan.

Key word here is additional, as you won’t stop receiving your pay sick leave from your employer/Försäkringskassan.

In fact, you can claim sick pay from both your private insurance and public sickness benefits, but the total amount you receive will usually not exceed your regular income set by your employment contract.

A pro tip here is to check your private insurance policy for specific terms and how it coordinates with public benefits to understand your full entitlements.

Burnout Sick Leave in Sweden

As explained, Sweden labour law allows workers to take a sick leave based on mental health issues, and one of these issues is called “burnout“.

Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress (which usually presents itself when doing frequent overtime). It often manifests as feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.

As I said earlier, you can take sick leave for burnout by first seeing a healthcare provider who can diagnose you and recommend sick leave.

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Sick Leave for Self Employed People in Sweden

Yes, self-employed people in Sweden, including freelancers, can get paid during their sick leave.

To qualify, they must have voluntary sickness insurance through Försäkringskassan, which they need to have opted into before getting sick.

For self-employed individuals in Sweden, the conditions for sickness benefits include:

• a waiting period (qualifying days), which can be chosen and affects the insurance fee. They can choose their waiting period from 1, 14, 30, 60, to 90 days—the more qualifying days chosen, the lower the fee
• income requirements based on work-related income that qualifies for sickness benefit. For 2024, to qualify for sickness benefits in Sweden, your work-related income must be at least SEK 13,700 per year
• the need to submit a doctor’s note if the sickness lasts more than 7 days.

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Can I be Terminated if I am Often Sick?

As I said earlier, there isn’t a fixed maximum number of days for sick leave.

However, if frequent absences impact job performance, it might lead to discussions about work capacity or potential termination.

So, to keep your job and avoid becoming a job seeker (and start working on your CV, cover letters and interview skills again), it’s important to use your sick leave rights responsibly and not take advantage of your employer.

Being Sick on Vacations

In Sweden, if you get sick during your vacation, you can report this illness and have those vacation days reclassified as sick leave, preserving your vacation time for later use.

The idea here is to ensure you don’t lose vacation days due to illness.

This requires you to inform your employer and provide a medical certificate if the sickness lasts longer than a certain period, typically more than seven days.