Parental leave

Your entitlement to parental leave is regulated by the Parental Leave Act, the ordinance regarding leave of absence, and the general agreements on salaries and benefits (Villkorsavtal-T, SACO and Villkorsavtal, ST). The entitlement to leave when a child is born and for child care is regulated in the Parental Leave Act, and the compensation is regulated in the National Insurance Act. 

Leave and compensation before a child is born

If you have a physically demanding job or there are dangers in the working environment that prevent you from working when pregnant, you may be entitled to pregnancy benefit. Contact Försäkringskassan to apply for pregnancy benefit.

Leave and compensation for short-term parental leave

In connection with the birth of a child, the non-pregnant parent or someone who is a close relative of a single parent may receive compensation for 10 days of leave. In order to be granted compensation, it is required that:

• You refrain from working or receiving unemployment benefit during these 10 days
• You take these days of leave before 60 days have passed since the mother and child have returned home after delivery.

Both parents can receive 5 days of compensation each in connection with the adoption of a child younger than 10 years of age. If you are a single parent, you will receive all 10 days.

'Care of a sick child' compensation (Vård av barn – VAB) is a benefit  you can receive when staying home from work to care for a child who is sick. You may also receive compensation if you accompany the child to a doctor, child healthcare centre, dentist or child psychiatrist.

Leave and compensation for longer parental leave

Parental allowance is a benefit you can receive if you are a parent or have custody of the child.

You are entitled to be completely free from work with or without parental allowance from the time when your child is born until it is 18 months old. As a government employee, you are thereafter entitled to reduce your working hours by up to 25 percent until the child is 12 years old, on the condition that you have been employed for the last six months or for a total of 12 months over the last two years. The leave may be distributed across all the days of the working week or taken as whole working days (vertical part-time).

A deduction is made amounting to 3.3 percent of the fixed monthly salary for each calendar day of parental leave. If the parental leave covers one or more entire calendar months, the whole fixed salary is deducted. For partial parental leave, deductions are made for each calendar day in proportion to the reduction in working hours. This applies regardless of whether the leave is distributed evenly or is only taken for certain days of the week.

Parents are entitled to divide their parental leave into a maximum of three periods each calendar year. However, one period can be as long or as short as desired. You are entitled to cancel your leave and resume working to the same degree as before taking leave. However, the employer is not obligated to allow you to return earlier than one month after receiving notification.  

Notification of parental leave

In order to facilitate work planning, you must give notice of parental leave to your department head/supervisor at least two months in advance. Apply via Primula at Min sida/Föräldraledighet (My account/parental leave).

In order to receive compensation, you must report parental leave to Försäkringskassan. Remember to check that you have the correct income qualifying for sickness allowance registered with Försäkringskassan.