Roles and responsibilities

The employer is responsible for occupational rehabilitation, which can be done within or in connection with the employer's organisation, with the aim of preparing the employee for continued work for their employer. Examples of occupational rehabilitation include adaptation and reintegration. The measures that may be relevant must be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration factors such as the size of the work place, the resources available to the employer, and the employee's own involvement.

The employee's responsibility

The employee is responsible for reporting in sick from day one.

From day eight of the sickness period, the employee is responsible for sending a doctor's certificate to their immediate supervisor. The sick employee has a responsibility to be active in their own rehabilitation process. This includes consulting with their immediate supervisor and providing the required information, as well as sharing in the activities that have been agreed upon.

An employee may personally request a rehabilitation meeting with their supervisor with the aim of preventing a possible period of sick leave. The aim of rehabilitation is that employees should be able to continue or return to work.

Remember to check information from your supervisor and Försäkringskassan.

The supervisor's responsibility

The supervisor has overall responsibility for rehabilitation efforts. The employee's immediate supervisor is responsible for investigating, documenting and following up occupational rehabilitation for their staff. The supervisor must examine the possibilities that are available for adapting work assignments. This should be done for a limited period of time, since the goal is for the employee to be able to return to their regular duties. For a certain amount of time, alternative duties may be assigned instead of the regular ones.

Doctors

Doctors who can write sick notes are available within outpatient care as well as occupational health services. The doctor is medically responsible and assesses the employee's health and capacity for work. A doctor's certificate (Swedish: läkarintyg) is needed to prove the reason for your absence, and it contains information that the rehabilitation process will be based on. The doctor's certificate is used as the basis for planning rehabilitation, and it is needed in order to receive sickness benefit from Försäkringskassan.

Försäkringskassan

Försäkringskassan is an important element of the rehabilitation process, and should be involved as early as possible in processes where they can contribute their knowhow and provide contacts and financing etc.

As needed, Försäkringskassan should coordinate efforts and work together with other interested parties in ensuring an effective and appropriate rehabilitation process. Försäkringskassan assesses the individual's capacity to work and their entitlement to compensation. Additionally, Försäkringskassan will do the following:

• Investigate whether the employee would be able to manage work on the regular labour market in spite of the sickness.
• If necessary, call an appraisal meeting.
• Assess insurance claims, as needed.

The assessment criteria for sickness benefit vary depending on how far along the rehabilitation chain an employee is.

Försäkringskassan – occupational rehabilitation (in Swedish)

Occupational health services

Occupational health services (Företagshälsovården) is an external partner in occupational rehabilitation and can be contacted when needed in consultation with the supervisor and HR specialist.

A requisition form should be submitted by the immediate supervisor if a visit to occupational health services needs to be booked. Occupational health services will assess whether contact should be made with occupational health services or outpatient care.

Mid Sweden University collaborates with Previa in both Östersund and Sundsvall.

More information about Occupational health services

Occupational health services requisition (in Swedish)