Grades and employer certificates
When an employment relationship ends, the employer has certain obligations towards the former employee. Two of the most common documents that may need to be drawn up are employer's certificate and grade. These have different purposes and rules around their issuance.
Employer certification - a legal obligation
The employer's certificate is a certificate to be issued by the employer at the request of the employee. It is mainly needed for the former employee to be able to apply for unemployment benefits from their unemployment fund.
What should the employer certificate contain?
The employer's certificate must follow the template established by the Swedish unemployment insurance funds and contains, among other things:
- Period of employment
- Employment rate and working hours
- Salary and other benefits
- Reason for termination of employment
- Any periods of absence
The employer is obliged to issue an employer's certificate without undue delay, and it can also be requested retrospectively if, for example, the former employee applies for unemployment benefits much later. The employer's certificate is filled in digitally via the e-service at employer certificate.now or on a paper form.
What happens if the employer refuses to provide the employer's certificate?
If an employer refuses to issue an employer's certificate, the former employee can turn to his/her unemployment insurance fund, which in turn can ask the employer to fulfill his/her obligation. In some cases, an action for damages can also be brought if the employer causes financial damage by not providing the certificate on time.
Rating - a voluntary but valuable act
Unlike an employer's certificate, there is no legal obligation for the employer to issue a grade. However, it is common practice in many industries to provide a certificate, especially in the case of longer employment or when the worker asks for it.
What should a report card contain?
A grade can take different forms, but often includes:
- Length of service and position
- A brief description of the tasks
- Assessment of the employee's performance and personal qualities
- A final assessment that can be more or less positive
In Sweden, it is common for grades to be written in such a way that the employee does not receive a negative assessment - that is, an employer would rather refrain from giving a grade than write something negative.
The difference between a service certificate and a grade
If the employer does not want to provide a certificate but still wants to provide a written certificate, a certificate of service is issued. This contains only objective facts, such as length of service and duties, but no subjective judgments.
Recommendation
- Establish procedures to quickly issue employer certificates when an employee leaves.
- Use the e-service arbetsgivarintyg.nu to facilitate the management of employer certificates.
- Consider whether to issue a certificate - a well-articulated rating can be a goodwill measure that strengthens the employer's reputation.
- If you do not want to give a rating - instead offer a certificate of service to demonstrate good practice.
- Review employer responsibilities - refusing an employer's certificate can lead to legal sanctions.
Handling employer certificates and grades correctly creates a professional and serious end to the employment relationship and can contribute to a good relationship even after the employee has left the business.