Work
Employee rights and protections in Sweden — LAS, notice periods, union membership, sick pay, and vacation entitlements.
Swedish employment law provides extensive protections for workers through the Employment Protection Act (LAS) and extensive collective agreements that cover around 70% of the workforce. Minimum notice periods are set by law and scale with tenure: 1 month for less than 2 years of service, up to 6 months for 10+ years. Unions (fackförbund) play a central role in Swedish working life — they negotiate wages, represent workers in disputes, and provide unemployment insurance (A-kassa). The 25-day minimum vacation entitlement (Semesterlagen) applies to all employees. Employers must provide sick pay for the first 14 days of illness; after that, Försäkringskassan covers 80% of your qualifying income.