Kurs i arbetsrätt 3. Under anställningen 3.3 Rätt till ledighet

Entitlement to leave

Statutory leave without retention of benefits

As an employer, it is important that you know when your employees have a statutory right to time off. Your collective agreement may contain more rights than those listed below, and these may be more favorable to workers.

Examples of leave with no benefits retained:

  • Parental leave - Law on the right to leave for family reasons (Parental Leave Act).
  • Leave for urgent family reasons - Leave in the event of serious illness or death in the family (Law on the right to leave for urgent family reasons).
  • Leave to pursue a business activity - Possibility to take time off to start and run a business (Law on the right to time off to run a business).
  • Educational leave - Leave for studies (Study Leave Act).
  • SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) - Leave to attend Swedish language classes for immigrants (Swedish for Immigrants).
  • Some school association tasks - Leave to participate in certain association activities linked to the school.
  • Leave for trade union representatives - Law on the status of trade union representatives at the workplace.
  • Sick leave to try another job - Possibility to take time off to try another job in case of illness (Sick Pay Act and Work Environment Act).
  • Leave for care of dependants - Right to leave to care for a close relative (Law on the right to leave to care for a close relative).
  • Leave for military service and recruitment into the armed forces - The National Service Act and the Employment Protection Act for persons liable for national defense.
  • Political missions - Law on the right to leave for certain political functions.
  • Leave in the case of a carrier allowance - Right to leave in the event of risk of infection under the Infection Control Act.

Statutory leave with retention of benefits

  • Health and safety representative - Safety representatives are entitled to leave with pay to carry out their duties (Work Environment Act).
  • Leave during notice period to look for another job - Employees are entitled to paid leave to look for a new job during the notice period (Employment Protection Act).

Leave under collective agreement

Leave means that the employee has the right to be on leave while maintaining the benefits of the employment contract or collective agreement. It can include, for example, time off for:

  • 50th or 60th birthday celebrations
  • Weddings
  • One-off visits to the doctor or dentist
  • Deaths in the family

Employer's own rules on leave

There is nothing to prevent employers from introducing more favorable leave rules than those provided for by law or collective agreements. It is not uncommon for employers to have their own rules on leave, for example, in addition to those set out in collective agreements.