COPY LINK

For members

WORKING IN SWEDEN

How sick leave pay in Sweden compares to other countries in Europe

Your right to paid time off when you’re unwell varies considerably from country to country. From how many days you can take to whether you’ll get your full salary and when you need a doctor’s note, here’s how the rules in Sweden compare to elsewhere in Europe.

Published: 13 December 2022 17:02 CET
Updated: 14 December 2022 18:19 CET

How sick leave pay in Sweden compares to other countries in Europe

All the countries The Local covers across Europe have some form of statutory paid sick leave. But from Norway to Italy, Sweden to Switzerland, it’s no surprise that there are big differences.

And they determine how you claim sick leave, who’ll pay for it, and how much you’ll get.

Do you get days, weeks or even months to recover? Are your wages paid in full or only in part? Where are you covered if you’re self-employed?

And which countries tell you to stay home in case they send a doctor round to check on you? (At least two do.)

Of course, your employer might choose to give you a better sick leave package. But at the very least, here’s what you’re guaranteed by law in each of the nine countries in The Local’s network starting with Sweden.

Sweden

As befits its reputation for comprehensive social welfare, Sweden offers paid lengthy sick leave for both employed and self-employed workers.

One of the biggest pluses is how simple it is to claim a few days off: all you have to do is notify your manager, no sick note needed. It’s only if you’re taking off a week or longer that you have to produce a medical certificate.

More surprisingly, though, the first day of sick leave is usually unpaid. Sweden counts it as a karensdag, or ‘qualifying day’, for which most people who work regular hours won’t be compensated. (As you’d imagine, the system isn’t universally popular.)

But assuming you pass the karensdag, you’re entitled to sick pay (sjuklön) at 80 percent of your salary, which is paid out by your employer for the next 13 days.

After these two weeks, your company reports your illness to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan), which takes charge of compensating you. To claim, you’ll have to apply directly to Försäkringskassan, which will want to see evidence that your ability to work is reduced by at least a quarter.

If that’s the case, they will still cover 80 percent of your salary, but only up to a ceiling of 1,027 kronor per day according to the rates for 2022.

You can take a maximum of 364 consecutive sick days at this rate, after which the sick pay drops to 75 percent of your salary, capped at 963 kronor a day (though people with serious health conditions can benefit from the higher rate for longer).

Self-employed workers are also covered, though depending on their situation they may have to take their first 14 days’ sick pay out of their company’s earnings.

Find a complete guide to taking sick leave in Sweden here.

Austria

Austria’s rules on sick leave, or Krankenstand, entitle most employees to either six and eight weeks off on full pay from their employer, depending on whether they’ve been in the job less or more than a year. This rises to ten weeks after 15 years and 12 weeks after 25 years.

Employees can then take a further four weeks’ leave on half pay.

In that case, you can claim sick pay (Krankengeld) from the government, which steps in to top up the amount once your employer stops paying your full salary.

You’ll receive 50 percent of your salary for up to 42 days of sick leave, and 60 percent if you’re unwell for longer. You might be eligible for up to 75 percent of your usual wages if you have dependents to support.

READ ALSO:

To claim leave or pay when you’re ill, you must notify your employer as soon as possible and ask a doctor for a sick note. You’ll usually only have to show it on the fourth day you’re off sick, but if your boss is a real stickler they can request it on the first day.

Remember to do this including if you get ill on vacation, as you can switch your days off to paid sick leave without using up your annual holiday.

Additionally, certain professions might have different rules – so check your Kollektivvertrag for more information.

Denmark

As an employee in Denmark, you’re allowed to take 22 weeks off sick within a nine-month period – and potentially longer, if your local authority agrees that you need it.

You’re supposed to inform your boss no more than two hours after you were due to start work to make sure your absence is properly logged and compensated.

Your employer is usually responsible for paying you for the first 30 days of sick leave. However, depending on what your contract says, you can’t necessarily expect your full salary.

READ ALSO:

Past the first 30 days, the local municipality takes over your sick pay (sygedagpenge), which for 2022 is capped at 4,465 kroner per week. The exact amount you’ll receive depends on your average pay and hours worked during the previous three months.

There are a few conditions attached: you must have worked for 240 hours within the last six months prior to your first day of sick leave. And for at least five of these months, you must have worked at least 40 hours in total that month.

But the good news is that self-employed people, people on unemployment benefits, people who have recently completed a vocational training programme and those who are doing an apprenticeship or working fewer hours for health reasons can also qualify for sick pay from their municipality.

Find more details about sick leave in Denmark and how to claim it here.

France

If you work in the private sector in France, your sick pay is split between the state and your employer.

Social security pays out indemnités journalières maladie (daily sick pay) that amounts to half of what you’d usually be paid per day, up to a certain limit. Currently, the maximum you’ll get is €47.43 a day.

It’s up to your employer to top up the rest, so that you end up with the equivalent of 90 percent of your full pre-tax salary for the first 30 days of sick leave, and two-thirds for the next 30 days. Each five years you’ve been with the same employer earns you an extra ten days of paid sick leave, up to 180 days total. You have the right to take longer off, if necessary, but in that case your employer is no longer obliged to keep contributing to your sick pay.

You can claim indemnités journalières from French social security for up to 360 days over three years. If you suffer from a long-term condition, you can claim for as many days as you need over the same period.

READ ALSO:

Note that state-covered sick pay only kicks in from your fourth day of absence and your employer is only legally obliged to pay you from the eighth day – so if you work for an especially miserly company, you could find yourself without any income at all for your first three sick days.

You usually have 48 hours to let your boss know you’re sick and file an avis d’arrêt de travail, a notice of absence from work that has to be filled out by a doctor (or midwife if you’re pregnant) and shared with both your employer and your local public health insurance office (caisse primaire d’assurance maladie or CPAM).

The doctor will specify how long you should remain off and whether or not you’re allowed to leave the house during this time.

Unless stated otherwise, you’re supposed to be at home between the hours of 9-11 am and 2-4 pm every day you take off sick, including on weekends and holidays. The CPAM is authorised to check on you at home, and if they find you’re out when you shouldn’t be, your state sick pay can be docked or withheld.

If you’re a job-seeker and are registered with Pôle emploi, the same process applies.

Germany

In Germany, your employer has to cover up to six weeks of sick leave on full pay (so long as you’ve been working for them for at least four weeks beforehand, and even if you’re part-time).

That’s per illness, so if you’re unlucky enough to fall sick multiple times in the same year with separate complaints, you can take up to six straight weeks each time. No wonder the Germans are famously in favour of calling in sick.

They’re also famous for other things, of course, so it won’t surprise anyone that German sick leave (Krankenstand) comes with rules.

Chief among them, you have to inform your employer – even informally – before the start of the first work day you take off (the Krankmeldung, or notification of sickness).

Then you need to see a doctor to request a Krankschreibung, a written sick note. By law, you have three calendar days before you’re required to produce one, even if suspicious bosses ask for one sooner.

If the doctor judges you need longer to recover, you can take more than six weeks off, at which point health insurance – mandatory for every German resident – will take over your sick pay. You’re entitled to 70 percent of your usual salary, for up to 78 weeks over three years for the same illness.

It’s pretty common to take leave in Germany for mental health problems, too, and it’s tough for an employer to fire you for needing even significant time off work.

Italy

Exactly how much sick leave you get in Italy – and how much you’re paid for it – depends on which sector you work in, your employer and what kind of contract you have.

At a minimum, you’ll be entitled to compensation from the Italian state, though not right away.

It won’t cover the first three days off, though many employers will. This might be at full pay or a bit less, depending on your contract and how many days off you’ve already taken that year.

From the fourth day, you become eligible for l’indennità di malattia (statutory sick pay) paid out of social security, equivalent to half your average daily wage. If you have to stay off for longer, this goes up to 66.66 percent from the 21st day of sick leave.

You can claim it for up to 180 days per calendar year. It’ll be paid to you directly by your employer, who then deducts it from their social security contributions.

Note that people in unemployment or apprenticeships also qualify for sick pay from the state, but self-employed people don’t.

READ ALSO:

You’ll need a sick note from a doctor, which must be shared with the National Institute for Social Security (INPS). Usually the doctor can do this for you via computer, but double check: if not, you’ll be responsible for posting the paper copy to the INPS within two days.

It’s also important to remember that Italy expects everyone who takes sick leave to make themselves available for medical spot checks at their home.

Every day you’re not working, you’re supposed to be at your designated residence between the hours of 10 am to 12 pm and 5 to 7 pm, awaiting the visit of what’s sometimes known as a medico spia, or ‘spy doctor’.

If they find you not at home (or fit to work), you can be denied your sick pay.

Norway

Norway grants employees up to a full year of paid sick leave (sykefravær).

The first 16 calendar days are covered by your employer to the tune of your usual salary.

And if it’s just a short absence, you don’t even need to produce a doctor’s note: provided you’ve been in the job for at least two months, you can take up to three days off just by notifying your boss you’re ill. They’ll simply ask you to fill out an egenmelding, or self-certification, though employers can limit the number of times you’re allowed to do this per year.

It’s only from the fourth day that you have to show a sick note (sykemelding) from a health professional.

READ ALSO:

If you’re off for 17 days or longer, Norway’s national insurance scheme takes over your sick pay (sykepenger). They’ll match your average income from the past three months, up to the limit of 53,199 kroner per month.

While these provisions extend up to 260 working days (52 weeks) if necessary, you and your boss are supposed to try to avoid that outcome. You’re subject to the so-called ‘duty to be active’, which includes making a plan with your employer about how you can return to work.

This conversation must take place within four weeks, and at eight weeks, public welfare agency NAV will check to see that you are attempting at least some work-related activities, unless your doctor and/or employer certifies that’s impossible.

Spain

In Spain, anyone who’s registered with the social security scheme and has paid contributions for at least 180 days in the past five years qualifies for partially paid sick leave – whether they work for a company or are self-employed.

A statutory ‘temporary incapacity benefit’ (prestación por incapacidad temporal) kicks in from the fourth day you’re unable to work, so whether your first three days off are compensated or not depend on your arrangements with your employer.

CHECKLIST: Everything digital nomads moving to Spain need to consider

At a minimum, your boss has to pay you for 15 days (starting from the fourth day) at 60 percent of your basic salary.

After that, social security covers the cost. You’ll remain on 60 percent pay up to day 20 of sick leave, and 75 percent from day 21 onwards.

If you’re self-employed, all this is covered by the National Institute for Social Security (INSS) or an associated insurance company.

Q&A: How will Spain’s new social security system for the self-employed work?

You can receive the incapacity benefit for up to 365 days, extendable by another 180 days if necessary. This adds up to a generous 18 months total.

To claim, you’ll need a sick note from a doctor with the national health service. If you’re self-employed, you’ll also have to submit a declaration to the INSS.

Switzerland

Swiss employment law only mandates that employers offer basic paid sick leave: generally three weeks in your first year in the job, rising with each additional year to around four months max, depending on the canton.

However, many Swiss employers take out insurance that covers a more generous sick pay deal. Individuals can also take out such insurance for themselves, including if they’re freelance or unemployed.

It typically pays out 80 percent of your salary while you’re off sick, for around 720 out of 900 days.

The first three days of sick leave are often counted as a ‘waiting period’ under such policies, during which you’ll usually be paid by your employer instead.

From the fourth day, you’ll have to produce a sick note from a doctor, who must certify that your ability to work has been hindered by at least 50 percent or more.

While insurance may cover a lengthy absence, you’re not necessarily protected from getting the sack for the same period.

According to labour laws, your boss only has to hold your job for you for 30 days in your first year at the company, 90 days in your second to fifth years, and 180 days from the sixth.

And if you fall ill during your probation period, they can terminate your contract right away.

Member comments

Become a Member to leave a comment.

'Don't ignore our presence': How Sweden could be more inclusive for foreigners

In a recent survey, we asked our readers one question: “What can Sweden do to make the country more inclusive?”

Answers were varied, with some focusing on the social aspect of inclusion, such as making more of an effort to include immigrants in conversations or social gatherings, while others discussed bureaucracy, politics or issues finding work.

Others covered issues like xenophobia and racism, and ways in which Sweden could become better at tackling and acknowledging these issues on a structural level.

‘Don’t just ignore our presence’

Inclusion can be as simple as switching to English when a non-Swedish speaker is around, one respondent said.

“Accommodate to English if a non-Swedish speaking person joins your Swedish-speaking group at work or at social gatherings,” a reader originally from India, who now has Swedish citizenship, wrote. “Just don’t ignore our presence, please.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean that Swedes should switch to English all the time, said PhD student Vinicius.

“Regular Swedes should feel more responsible for inclusion too. Perhaps they could be more helpful to Swedish learners who try to practise the language with them instead of switching to English all the time,” he said, encouraging Swedes to extend invitations outside their social bubble.

READ ALSO:

‘We all cheer each other on’: How we made friends in Sweden

“I’ve seen proof that I’m being accepted because I blend in and because my semi-American lifestyle and business made it easy to make contacts,” a Dutch respondent said. “People coming from other cultures find it harder to ‘feel Swedish’ in part because Sweden’s individualist culture makes it easy to not invite someone.”

“This is usually innocent, but it makes it very easy for xenophobic and racist people to normalise exclusion on the wrong grounds. In my opinion this is where typical Swedish silence should be broken. One way to improve things would be to more actively invite non-EU immigrants to national and traditional celebrations.”

‘The language requirement has been one of my biggest barriers’

The issue of language barriers in the workplace can also be an issue when applying for jobs.

“I can understand for certain technical roles that you need to be able to read/speak Swedish for safety reasons, but the majority of Swedes speak great English and that shouldn’t keep them from excluding a highly sought after workforce that just happens to still be learning the language,” a reader from Puerto Rico based in Malmö said.

“I was, until recently, working in the video games industry. I was affected by layoffs and am struggling to find work quickly enough to keep myself in the country after 5.5 years of living in Sweden. The language requirement has been one of my biggest barriers.”

a person in front of a computer

Several readers described language as a big barrier, despite working in international industries like tech. Photo: Melker Dahlstrand/imagebank.sweden.se

‘My international experience has been ignored’

Another reader, named Sarah, argued that while language programmes like Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) classes are good, they are not inclusive – she found it difficult as a full-time working parent to attend them, for example.

“When I first moved here I had a small baby and then had a second child. The whole time I had a small child I could not attend SFI and then I entered full-time work. None of my employers have discussed with me my language needs or goals,” she said.

“I work in English – there is an absolute need for it given Sweden’s export and trade focus, but I’ve not been given any support at all to help with language development and this has fundamentally limited my career prospects.”

Sarah also added that her international experience has essentially been ignored when applying for jobs.

“I’ve never been asked about the roles I’ve had or the companies I’ve worked for outside of Sweden. I basically had to start from the beginning. I’ve worked for some well known companies, so it should count, but this has pretty much been void.”

READ ALSO:

‘Reassess your cultural background’: Key tips for foreign job hunters in Sweden

Another respondent, a tech worker in his 30s from Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that while he felt included, his wife did not.

“I feel included, by being the breadwinner and working in the software business from day one. On the other hand, my wife, with a master’s degree in architecture, failed to get invited to a single interview for a job. The most common response she would get: ‘you need to be fluent in Swedish’.”

“If only companies would support people, especially highly educated, to demonstrate their job skills, while learning the language on the way,” he added. “It is very discouraging to have to be unemployed or work lower skilled jobs for several years, while trying to get to the fluency that might be required.”

He’s also unsure whether the language barrier is the real issue, or whether it’s a sign of a wider issue of discrimination.

“Is it just the easiest excuse companies can think of to reject people of non-Swedish origin?”

READ ALSO:

What can Sweden do to make life easier for ‘trailing spouses’?

a person and a dog in the archipelago

Some readers said they felt very included by their Swedish friends, whereas others asked Swedes to open up their social circles a bit more. Photo: Isak Stockås/imagebank.sweden.se

‘Discrimination is the elephant in the room’

There were a number of respondents who had lived in multicultural countries like the US, UK and Canada, who said they saw a stark difference in how immigrants are treated in Sweden compared to elsewhere.

One reader from Australia, who has a Turkish name, was “shocked” by the widespread discrimination in Sweden.

“It’s the elephant in the room,” he said. “I’m self-employed as an e-commerce consultant as I have no alternative here. I’ve had one request for an interview with over 100 job applications.”

“I find it super strange that it’s widely accepted that if you have a foreign name that you will be discriminated against. I’ve never experienced that before.”

SURVEY:

‘Sweden is decades behind on racism and diversity’

LTH graduate Spilios from Athens, now based in Malmö, said that issues like ethnic discrimination need to be raised more often in public dialogue.

“Without this, inclusion can not be achieved,” he said.

“Dialogue needs to be initiated not only by those who suffer the trauma of discrimination but also by people like white native Swedes who also share the belief that this is a huge societal problem. If there is no public dialogue over the issue of ethnic discrimination as a major factor for exclusion then it is likely that in an era of further rise of the far right and securitisation, the phenomenon will become more and more widespread.”

‘Hiring foreigners is a major step out of their comfort zone’

Eva, a Spanish reader in Stockholm, argued that companies should be made to collect and publish data on employee ethnicity, citizenship and other significant diversity points, and that it should be made mandatory for companies to include this in their sustainability goals.

“As someone who has worked in management in Swedish companies: It is not a surprise that Swedish HR and hiring managers consciously or subconsciously avoid hiring foreigners, even more in management and leadership positions, as that would be a major step out of their comfort zone,” she added.

“Foreigners bring other work models and communication styles, defying the notion that the Swedish way of business (which has many positives) is the optimal and only acceptable model for every scenario.”

READ ALSO:

Should Sweden collect stats on ethnicity to combat racism?

Heidi Carmen Howard from Québec spent almost ten years working in Swedish universities and had a number of ideas on how Sweden could make job searches more inclusive.

“Make sure foreigners who have the same expertise or experience as Swedes get the same salary. Make evaluation criteria for job hiring and promotion transparent, in writing, in different languages and easily accessible. Have international experts weigh in on evaluating CVs, remove names from CVs and write job descriptions with different genders and backgrounds in mind,” she said.

She also recommended providing more written information in multiple languages about crucial aspects of the Swedish labour market like salary setting, promotions and conflict resolution, as well as paid time during the work week for international workers to learn Swedish.

a woman talking in sign language in front of a laptop on the train

Several readers argued foreigners should be given more information on how the Swedish job market works, including job interviews and CV writing. Photo: Scandinav/imageban.sweden.se

‘Perhaps the ideals don’t match the realities us immigrants experience’

“I live in Malmö and love it here,” wrote Michael, a 56-year-old African-American who has been in Sweden for almost a decade.

“That is despite the various challenges there are for immigrants and people of colour,” he added. “The values and ideals that Sweden strives for are great. But I would say that perhaps the ideals don’t match the realities that us immigrants experience. This is exponentially observed if you’re a person of colour.”

Software developer Jeremiah, also from the US, said that Swedes need to “embrace multiculturalism”.

“Sweden lags behind in its understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The goal is not for everyone to be the same. The goal is for no one to be oppressed. The goal is not everyone having the same starting point. The goal is equal access to opportunity. The goal is not to be colour blind. The goal is to actively identify and oppose racism, xenophobia, and other forms of discrimination.”

READ ALSO:

‘No such thing as race’: why Sweden’s colour-blind approach is failing

‘Diversity needs to go both ways’

A French reader from Blekinge said that there need to be higher expectations placed on immigrants to be more inclusive, such as respecting Swedish culture and trying to get to know Swedes.

“My parents are French and American (US), and my Swedish wife’s parents are Danish and Polish, so we are very familiar with the immigration question. In our view, greater emphasis should be put towards integration and assimilation than simply avoiding it by claiming it’s good for ‘diversity’,” he said.

“We need to build more bridges than ghettos, but it will only work if there is an expectation that diversity needs to work both ways, with Swedish culture, history and values also being taught, celebrated and respected as well.”

‘Excessive bureaucracy’

A number of respondents said that they had found Swedes themselves very inclusive, but that the real barriers to inclusion were due to bureaucracy, such as the long wait for things like personal numbers, bank accounts or ID cards.

Pedro from Italy said that this had almost made his family reconsider moving to Sweden in the first place.

”Even if I am an EU citizen, the process of right of residence was excessively bureaucratic when compared to other countries. My difficulties in integrating today are in big part due to the long four-month wait for daycare which made finishing university a very difficult task, which reflects directly in my job-seeking capabilities now as I am still unable to finish my studies.”

Tamim, a 40-year-old Syrian student who moved to Sweden from Saudi Arabia, said that he “finds it hard to find something Sweden could do to be more inclusive”, as he and his wife were quickly able to study for free and his son was given a school place after just two weeks in Sweden.

“The only thing that might be a potential area for improvement (at least in my experience) is opening a bank account with a BankID. This took some time but was easy when I got my part time job. Another thing that is difficult is managing my finances since I am coming from Saudi Arabia and my savings were there. Swedish banks don’t accept transfers from there.”

‘Immigration law changes make me feel like I’m not welcomed here’

On a political level, many respondents felt that recent laws made Sweden feel less inclusive.

“The immigration law changes make me feel like I am not actually welcomed here,” a 34-year-old software developer in Umeå said. “I have to contribute to the society ten times more than an average Swede to be included.”

“As much as we’re trying to see and depict Sweden as open to immigrants, I think the bitter truth is that it is not, and with the growing power of the Sweden Democrats this is more than clear,” said the tech worker from Bosnia and Herzegovina quoted previously.

The Dutch respondent, who moved to Sweden from the Netherlands over a decade ago, said that the same things that caused him to leave the Netherlands are now happening in Sweden.

“Decent traditional political parties should have maintained their Cordon Sanitaire against xenophobic and racist politicians,” he said. “The infiltration and normalisation of far-right ideas are destroying the very thing that made Sweden a global human rights leader.”

More than 80 people responded to The Local’s survey about how Sweden could become more inclusive. We weren’t able to include every single comment, but we did our best to select a representative sample. We’d love to hear your thoughts too – please join the conversation in the comments below.

SHOW COMMENTS

Url copied to clipboard!