Sick Leave in Sweden: Sjuklön, Karensavdrag and Employer Obligations

Sweden’s sick leave law provides 14 days of employer-paid sick leave at 80% of lost earnings under the Sick Pay Act (Lag 1991:1047 om sjuklön). After day 14, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) takes over with sickness benefit (sjukpenning) for up to 364 days.

Key Takeaways

• Employers pay sjuklön at 80% of lost pay for the first 14 calendar days
• A karensavdrag (qualifying deduction) of 20% of average weekly sick pay is applied once per sick period
• A medical certificate (läkarintyg) is required from day 8
• Försäkringskassan covers days 15–364 at approximately 80% of qualifying income
• Employers must report the sick leave to Försäkringskassan to trigger the handover

Sweden’s Sick Leave Entitlement

Sweden’s sick leave system is split between two payers. The employer covers the first 14 calendar days through sjuklön, and Försäkringskassan pays sjukpenning from day 15.

Under the Sick Pay Act, any employee in open-ended employment is eligible for sjuklön from their first day of work. For fixed-term contracts shorter than one month, the employee must have worked at least 14 calendar days before becoming eligible.

The 14-day period counts in calendar days, meaning weekends and public holidays count toward the total even though no sick pay is due for non-working days. If a new sick period begins within five calendar days of the previous one ending, the two periods are treated as one continuous absence — the employee does not receive a fresh 14-day clock or a second karensavdrag.

Who Pays for Sick Leave?

The cost-sharing in Sweden is straightforward:

• Days 1–14: The employer pays sjuklön directly through payroll
• Days 15–364: Försäkringskassan pays sjukpenning after the employee applies and is assessed
• Beyond 364 days: The employee may apply for continued sjukpenning at a reduced rate, or转向 activity compensation (aktivitetsersättning) in severe cases

The employer is responsible for deducting the karensavdrag, filing the sickness notification (sjuklönblankett), and forwarding the employee’s application to Försäkringskassan.

Sick Leave Pay Rates

Period	Pay Rate	Who Pays	Source
Days 1–14	80% of lost pay and benefits	Employer	Sick Pay Act (Lag 1991:1047)
Days 15–364	~80% of qualifying income (SGI), capped at SEK 1,259/day (2026)	Försäkringskassan	Social Insurance Code (Försäkringskalkyen)
Days 365–550	~80% at continued level, lower cap	Försäkringskassan	Social Insurance Code
Karensavdrag	20% of average weekly sick pay, once per period	Deducted from employer pay	Sick Pay Act

The 2026 price base amount (prisbasbelopp) is SEK 59,200. The maximum qualifying income for sjukpenning is 10 times this amount (SEK 592,000), and the maximum daily sjukpenning at the normal level is SEK 1,259 per calendar day.

Medical Certificate Requirements

Sweden does not require a doctor’s note for the first week of absence. A medical certificate (läkarintyg) is mandatory from day 8 of the sick period. The employee must provide it to the employer to keep sick pay flowing.

Employers may request a certificate earlier only with special reasons (särskilda skäl), typically where there is a documented pattern of frequent short absences. This must follow the procedure set out in the Sick Pay Act or the applicable collective agreement — it cannot be imposed informally.

How to Calculate Sick Pay in Sweden

Example: An employee earning SEK 45,000/month is off sick for 20 calendar days (a Monday through the following Saturday, covering two full working weeks).

1. Daily lost pay: SEK 45,000 ÷ 30 days = SEK 1,500/day
2. 80% sick pay: SEK 1,500 × 0.80 = SEK 1,200/day
3. Working days in period (10): SEK 1,200 × 10 = SEK 12,000
4. Karensavdrag: 20% of an average sick pay week (SEK 1,200 × 5 = SEK 6,000 × 0.20) = SEK 1,200
5. Net sjuklön: SEK 12,000 − SEK 1,200 = SEK 10,800

The karensavdrag applies only once per sick period. If the same employee falls ill again more than five calendar days later, a new period — and a new deduction — begins.

Rehabilitation Duties

Swedish employers have ongoing rehabilitation obligations that extend well beyond the initial 14-day sick pay period. The Swedish Work Environment Authority’s regulations require employers to:

• Days 1–90: Attempt to arrange return to the employee’s ordinary role with adjusted duties
• Days 91–180: Offer any suitable work the employer can provide
• From day 181: Försäkringskassan assesses capacity against the open labour market

Försäkringskassan expects documented evidence of what adjustments were offered. Failure to cooperate in the rehabilitation process can result in the employer losing the right to reclaim sick pay costs.

Employer Obligations and Penalties

Swedish employers must:

• Pay sjuklön on time through the payroll system
• Deduct the karensavdrag correctly
• File the sickness notification and forward the employee’s application to Försäkringskassan within the prescribed timeframe
• Offer adjusted duties and document rehabilitation efforts
• Maintain sick leave records for at least two years after the employee leaves

Non-compliance can result in Försäkringskassan refusing to reimburse the employer for sick pay costs or imposing administrative penalties. Repeated failure to report sick leave can lead to the employer being required to continue paying beyond the 14-day period.

Comparison With Other Countries

Country	Sick Days	Pay	Certificate Required
Sweden	14 days employer + 364 days Försäkringskassan	80%	Day 8
UK	28 weeks SSP	£116.75/week	Day 7
Australia	10 days personal/carer’s leave	Full rate	2+ consecutive days (employer may request earlier)
US	Varies by state	Varies	Employer policy

FAQ

Can an employer require a medical certificate from day one in Sweden?

Employers may request a certificate before day 8 only with special reasons (särskilda skäl), such as a documented pattern of frequent short-term absences. The requirement must follow the Sick Pay Act’s procedures or the applicable collective agreement. Most employers cannot impose a day-one certificate rule.

What is the karensavdrag and how does it differ from the old karensdag?

The karensavdrag replaced the old one-day unpaid waiting day (karensdag) on 1 January 2019. Instead of losing a full day’s pay, the employee has a fixed deduction of 20% of average weekly sick pay applied once per sick period. Once the employee has had ten karensavdrag in the preceding 12 months, no further deductions apply.

How long can Försäkringskassan pay sickness benefit?

Sjukpenning at the normal level is limited to 364 calendar days within a 450-day window. After that, the employee can apply for continued sjukpenning at a reduced level for up to 550 additional days. Beyond that, activity compensation may be available for severe conditions.