Salary During Sick Leave

Several factors determine how much sick pay and sickness benefit you receive when you are on sick leave.

Sick for 1-14 Calendar Days

If you are unable to work because you are sick, you will receive sick pay (sjuklön) on calendar days 1-14 of the sick period. The University will pay you 80 percent of your regular salary.

Sick for More than 14 Calendar Days

After 14 days, the Swedish Social Insurance Office (Försäkringskassan) decides if you are entitled to sickness benefit (sjukpenning). If you are granted sickness benefit, you will receive an additional contribution from the University. What this means is that for the first 365 days you are sick, your sickness benefit will amount to a maximum of 90 percent of your salary.

Withdrawal Deduction (Karensavdrag)

When you are on sick leave, a withdrawal deduction will be made on your salary. The deduction amounts to 20 percent of the sick pay or sickness benefit that you receive in the event of sick leave.

For  more detailed information, see Försäkringskassan (webpage) or contact the Office of Human Resources.

Frequent Sickness

  • The rule for repeat sickness (återinsjuknanderegeln) applies if you recover from your sickness but become sick again within five calendar days of your return to work. The new sick period is then counted as a continuation of the previous period of sickness. If there was a full withdrawal deduction (karensavdrag) in the first sick period, then you will immediately receive full sick pay.
  • If you have been sick more than ten times over a twelve-month period, you can apply to receive “general high-risk protection” (allmänt högriskskydd) from Försäkringskassan. This means that you avoid the withdrawal deduction and receive your full sick pay or sickness benefit from the first day of your sick leave from work.
  • In some cases, you can apply for “special high-risk protection” (särskilt högriskskydd) from Försäkringskassan. This applies if, for example, you have a well-documented medical condition that means that you will likely be absent from work due to sickness at least ten times over the course of a year.
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