Sick leave

Medical certificate after seven days 

If the sick leave lasts longer than 7 calendar days, the employee must provide you with a medical certificate. This is a prerequisite for the employer to be able to assess the employee's entitlement to sick pay. 

On the website of the Social Insurance Agency, you can read more about how to assess work capacity during the sick-pay period and how this is done when an employee becomes ill. 

Sick employee day 1–90 at the Social Insurance Agency (in Swedish)

Declaration of illness 

When the employee returns to work, he or she must always provide a written declaration of illness. The illness declaration is your basis for calculating sick pay. The declaration must state that the worker has been sick and to what extent. 

Falling ill again in the same sick-pay period 

If your employee returns to work but falls ill within 5 calendar days, you need to know if a full deduction of the qualifying period was made the last time your employee was ill. If a full deduction was made, you do not make a new one. However, if a full deduction was not made, you must continue to deduct sick pay until a full deduction has been made. 

This only applies if your employee falls ill again within five calendar days. If more than five calendar days have elapsed, a new period of sick pay begins and you must make a new deduction from the qualifying period. 

Sick for more than 14 days 

When an employee has been sick for more than 14 days, you no longer pay sick pay. From the 15th day of illness, the employee can instead apply for sickness allowance from the Social Insurance Agency. 

If your employee is expected to be ill for an extended period of time and therefore unable to work, you, as their employer, must develop a return-to-work plan. 

Develop a plan using the Social Insurance Agency's guide (in Swedish)

As an employer, you are obliged to notify the Social Insurance Agency of any sick leave lasting longer than 14 calendar days. 

Report sick leave to the Social Insurance Agency (in Swedish) 

Consider confidentiality 

There is a duty of confidentiality regarding information in illness declarations and medical certificates. 

Sick for an extended period 

As an employer, you are responsible for implementing the necessary measures to enable your employee to return to work. If necessary, the Social Insurance Agency coordinates the various measures the employee needs to return to work. 

Sick employee from day 91 at the Social Insurance Agency (in Swedish)

Employees unable to return

An employee’s illness may make it impossible for them to return to work despite rehabilitation and redeployment efforts. If the employee is entitled to full sickness benefit without a time limit, you as an employer can terminate their employment. Notice of termination of employment must always be given in writing, even if you have informed the employee orally. 

The Social Insurance Agency has more information 

More information on sick leave from the Social Insurance Agency