Partial pension

If early retirements decrease, skills transfer etc. are facilitated in connection with generational change.

According to the avtal om delpension för arbetstagare hos staten agreement ('agreement on partial pensions for government employees'), employers must, when deciding on partial pensions, primarily take into account the needs of the organisation and its financial situation, just as with all other operational decisions. Within these limits, employers must consider each worker's partial pension application, and try as far as possible to meet these requests.

Conditions for partial pension applications

An employee must work at least 50 percent of regular full-time hours in order to be granted a partial pension. Mid Sweden University may approve a partial pension from the month that an employee reaches the age of 61 until the month before the one in which he or she reaches the age of 65.

An employee may apply for various levels of partial pension; from 10% up to 50% of regular full-time work. The amount the employee receives in partial pension payments and salary depends on how much he or she works.

A partial pension does count as pensionable income within the social security system. The state pension can therefore be reduced in size if an employee requests a partial pension.

Duties and working hours

An employee who is granted a partial pension is thereafter considered a part-time employee. How the part-time hours are scheduled is decided by the supervisor and is based on the needs of the organisation after consulting the employee.

Application, decision and financing

Each year, there are one opportunity to apply for a partial pension at Mid Sweden University: the first of april. The head of HR decides on partial pensions based on applications received no later than the first of september each year.

The head of HR decides to grant or refuse an application for partial pension according to individual assessment of the application and after hearing the opinion of the responsible supervisor.

In the case of professors, the request is assessed by the principal after consultation with the responsible supervisor, the relevant dean and the head of HR.

Partial pensions are financed in their entirety through central funds.

Procedure for partial pension applications

1. The employee submits a written application to the personnel manager using a special form
2. The personnel manager writes their opinion
3. The personnel manager submits the signed application, including their opinion, to the Division of HR
4. The Division of HR calculates the cost for Mid Sweden University
5. The head of HR makes a decision based on:

• the employee's situation (their reasons)
• how it will affect operations at Mid Sweden University – the consequences for the work and the possibility of finding solutions that benefit operations (supervisor's opinion)
• Mid Sweden University's financial situation

Reconsideration of partial pension decisions

An employee who has applied for and been granted a partial pension cannot unilaterally retract it. The decision is valid until the collectively agreed retirement age and can only be reconsidered in exceptional cases. The employer's decision cannot be appealed.

One valid reason for reconsidering a partial pension, apart from the wishes of the employee, could be that the extra time off work is misused. The purpose of a partial pension is that employees who are granted a reduction in their working hours should be in retirement during their extra free time. It is not permitted to perform paid work during this time. Employees must state in their application whether they have other paid employment (sideline activity). The partial pension may be reconsidered if the sideline activity is not permitted in the employer's opinion.

Partial pension guidelines for employees at Mid Sweden University 

Application for partial pension