Sick pay in Sweden (2026)
Last reviewed: 7 November 2026
In short: The employer pays sick pay of 80% for the first 14 days, less a deduction of 20% of a week’s sick pay. Försäkringskassan then pays sickness benefit, at the normal level for up to 364 days in a 450-day frame. A doctor’s certificate is needed from the eighth day.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| Who pays sick payBeing ill and unable to work | The employer pays sick pay (sjuklön) for the first 14 days of the sick period. From the 15th day the employee can get sickness benefit (sjukpenning) from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). [1] |
| Sick pay rateBeing ill and unable to work | Sick pay is 80% of the employment benefits lost, less a deduction (karensavdrag) of 20% of the average weekly sick pay. Sickness benefit is calculated on 80% of the insured income multiplied by 0.97 at the normal level, and 75% at the continuation level. [1] |
| Maximum durationBeing ill and unable to work | The employer’s sick-pay period is the first day of illness and the following 13 calendar days. Sickness benefit at the normal level is paid for at most 364 days within a frame of the previous 450 days; after that the continuation level can apply. [2] |
| Waiting daysBeing ill and unable to work | Sick pay applies from the first day of employment. A deduction (karensavdrag) of 20% of the average weekly sick pay is made once per sick period; after ten such deductions in the last twelve months no further deduction is made. [1] |
| Medical certificateBeing ill and unable to work | The employee gives the employer a written declaration of illness. From the seventh calendar day after the day of the sick notification, the employee must prove the incapacity with a doctor’s or dentist’s certificate. Försäkringskassan or the employer can require a certificate from an earlier day for special reasons. [1] |
Notes
- If a new sick period starts within five days of an earlier one, the two share one 14-day sick-pay period and no further karensavdrag is made (7 § sjuklönelagen).
Sources
- Sveriges riksdag (Svensk författningssamling): Lag (1991:1047) om sjuklön | Sveriges riksdag (consulted 7 November 2026) · all sources
- Sveriges riksdag (Svensk författningssamling): Socialförsäkringsbalk (2010:110), 27 och 28 kap. (data.riksdagen.se, text t.o.m. SFS 2026:1658) (consulted 7 November 2026) · all sources
Related pages
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.