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Sickness benefit for employees

Sickness benefit is money you can receive if you are unable to work due to illness.

The first 14 days you are sick, your employer pays you sick pay instead of your regular salary. After that, you can apply for sickness benefit from Försäkringskassan. Some employers do not pay sick pay. If this is the case, you can instead apply for sickness benefit from Försäkringskassan. If you do not know whether you are entitled to sick pay, contact your employer.

Am I eligible for sickness benefit?

You are eligible for sickness benefit if you:

  • are unable to work during your regular working hours due to illness. You must be away at least one-fourth of your regular working hours to be able to receive sickness benefit.
  • lose work-related income that is sickness benefit qualifying income.
  • are insured in Sweden.  

How much do I get?

With the “Ersättningskollen” function, you can quickly and easily see approximately how much you can receive in sickness benefit and sick pay. You receive approximately 80 percent of your salary, but this is capped to SEK 804 per day..

Ersättningskollen

How do I apply?

 

1. Report your sickness to your employer

The first day you are sick, you must report your sickness to your employer. If you are unemployed part time, you must also report your sickness to Försäkringskassan.

2. Your employer reports your sickness to Försäkringskassan

Once you have been sick for 14 days, your employer will report your sickness to Försäkringskassan. You can check whether you employer has submitted a sickness report via My pages (Mina sidor).

3. Apply on My pages (Mina sidor)

Once your employer has submitted a sickness report, you can apply for sickness benefit via My pages (Mina sidor).

4. Send in doctor's certificate

Försäkringskassan needs a doctor's certificate with information about your illness or injury. In most counties, electronic certificates can be issued. You can also attach your certificate to your application when you apply for sickness benefit via My pages (Mina sidor). This speeds up the process and you then do not have to send the certificate by post.

In exceptional cases, you can ask your doctor to submit the certificate directly to us electronically.

If you have received a paper copy of your doctor's certificate, send the original to Försäkringskassans Inläsningscentral, 839 88 Östersund.

5. Disbursement

The first sickness benefit disbursement is not paid on a fixed date. It is instead paid once we have completed the processing work. If your application is complete, this takes no more than 30 days.

After the first disbursement, sickness benefit is paid on a specific date each month. Which date applies for you depends on when you were born:

  • If you were born between the 1st and the 10th: the 25th of each month
  • If you were born between the 11th and the 20th: the 26th of each month
  • If you were born between the 21st and the 31st: the 27th of each month

You can see all of your disbursements on My pages (Mina sidor).

Special disbursement dates

  • If the disbursement date is a Saturday, your money will be paid out on Friday.  
  • If the disbursement date is a Sunday, your money will be paid out on Monday.
  • Disbursement normally scheduled for 25, 26 and 27 December will be paid out on 21 December 2018.

When will the disbursement appear on My pages (Mina sidor)?

As soon as we have processed your application, you can see your preliminary disbursements under Disbursements (Utbetalningar) on My pages (Mina sidor).

The actual disbursement will be shown 1 bank day before the money arrives.

 

 

1. Report your sickness

If you do not receive sick pay, you can report your sickness the first day you are sick.

Most who are employees receive sick pay. If you receive sick pay, then your employer is responsible for reporting your sickness. Check with your employer if you are not sure what applies in your particular case.

Gör en sjukanmälan

2. Apply on My pages (Mina sidor)

Once you have reported your sickness, you can log in to My pages (Mina sidor) and apply for sickness benefit.

3. Send in a doctor's certificate

If you are sick for more than 7 days, you must send in a doctor's certificate with information about your illness or injury. In some cases, you need to send in a doctor’s certificate from the very first day you are sick. Försäkringskassan will let you know if this is the case. In most counties, electronic certificates can be issued. You can also attach your certificate to your application when you apply for sickness benefit via My pages (Mina sidor). This speeds up the process and you then do not have to send the certificate by post.

In exceptional cases, you can ask your doctor to submit the certificate directly to us electronically.

If you have received a paper copy of your doctor's certificate, send the original to Försäkringskassans Inläsningscentral, 839 88 Östersund.

4. Disbursement

The first sickness benefit disbursement is not paid on a fixed date. It is instead paid once we have completed the processing work. If your application is complete, this takes no more than 30 days.

After the first disbursement, sickness benefit is paid on a specific date each month. Which date applies for you depends on when you were born:

  • If you were born between the 1st and the 10th: the 25th of each month
  • If you were born between the 11th and the 20th: the 26th of each month
  • If you were born between the 21st and the 31st: the 27th of each month

You can see all of your disbursements on My pages (Mina sidor).

Special disbursement dates

  • If the disbursement date is a Saturday, your money will be paid out on Friday.  
  • If the disbursement date is a Sunday, your money will be paid out on Monday.
  • At Christmas, the disbursement date is 21 December 2018.

When will the disbursement appear on My pages (Mina sidor)?

As soon as we have processed your application, you can see your preliminary disbursements under Disbursements (Utbetalningar) on My pages (Mina sidor).

The actual disbursement will be shown 1 bank day before the money arrives.

 

If you want to change any aspect of your sick leave

 

Send in your new doctor’s certificate. You can do this digitally on Mina sidor (My pages).

If you answered yes when asked whether a new doctor’s certificate should serve to extend the sick leave when you applied for sickness benefit, then you do not need to do anything else.

If you answered no, an application form for extended sickness benefit will be sent to your home. You cannot apply for extended sickness benefit via Mina sidor (My pages).

If you belong to Stockholm County Council or live on Gotland, you may not be able to receive an electronic certificate from your doctor.

 

 

If you begin working part time or in any other way change the scope of your sickness absence, you must notify us of this. This is done most easily via My pages (Mina sidor).

 

 

If you want to end your sickness benefit before the end of your registered sick leave period, you can do this on My pages (Mina sidor).

If you cannot use My pages (Mina sidor), call the Customer Centre or contact your personal administrative officer.

 

What happens if I am sick for a longer period of time?

If you are sick for a long time, you will be assigned a personal administrator. They help you with everything related to your sickness benefit, such as planning for how to return to work.

If you need support to return to work, your employer should help you. For example, you might need shorter workdays or different job tasks, either temporarily or on a permanent basis.

If you need more support, you can receive rehabilitation at your workplace. For example, you may need to train on working on certain job tasks to regain your work capacity. During that time, you can get rehabilitation allowance. The amount is the same as sickness benefit.

 

If you are unable to return to work due to illness, we can help you get rehabilitation from Arbetsförmedlingen. For example, you can receive career guidance or occupational training. During that time, you can get rehabilitation allowance. The amount is the same as sickness benefit.

 

 

If Försäkringskassan assesses that you are able to work but cannot return to your current job, we will offer you a meeting with Arbetsförmedlingen. At the meeting there will be an administrative officer from Försäkringskassan and an administrative officer from Arbetsförmedlingen. The meeting is an opportunity for you to receive support on your journey back to working life.

 

From health insurance to working life

1 minute

Video about the meeting with Försäkringskassan and Arbetsförmedlingen.

 Hjälp oss göra vår webbplats bättre

Svara på enkäten och berätta vad du tycker om webbplatsen.

Till enkäten öppnas i nytt fönster

Frequently asked questions

You cannot download the form here on the web since it has been pre-filled with information about you.

The easiest way to apply for sickness benefit is via My pages (Mina sidor). If you cannot apply via My pages (Mina sidor), call the Customer Centre at 0771-524 524 to have a form sent to your home.

Sick pay is the compensation you receive from your employer instead of pay the first 14 days you are sick. There are, however, a few exceptions. For example, companies may have other agreements as regards on-call employees. Contact your employer if you are unsure whether you are receiving sick pay or not.

Log in to My pages (Mina sidor). There, you will be able to see your application and your doctor's certificate.

Yes, it might be delayed since we start processing your case once we have received your application for sickness benefit. Normally it takes 30 days for us to process your application. It could take longer if we require more information.

If you cannot see the report on My pages (Mina sidor), then we have not received any report. Ask your employer to report it again.

Yes. If you employer paid your sick pay the first two weeks and you are still sick, you can receive sickness benefit. If you are not entitled to sick pay from your employer, you can receive sickness benefit during your first two weeks of sickness as well.

If you cannot apply via My pages (Mina sidor), call the Customer Centre at 0771-524 524 to have a form sent to your home. 

You cannot download the form here on the web since it has been pre-filled with information about you.

If you start working part time or increase your working hours, log in to My pages (Mina sidor) and change the scope of your sickness benefit. This way, you will receive the right sickness benefit from the start and will not be forced to repay the amount you were not entitled to.

You can also call the Customer Centre at 0771-524 524 to change the scope.

Yes. But, if you are sick for longer than 180 days, Försäkringskassan will reassess your work capacity. If we determine that your work capacity is permanently diminished, then you are no longer entitled to sickness benefit. Once you reach your 70th birthday, you can only receive sickness benefit a total of 180 days. If you are sick at different time periods, the days are added together.

The first year you are sick, you will receive about 80 per cent of your sickness benefit qualifying income in sickness benefit.

If you are sick for over one year, your sickness benefit is reduced to about 75 per cent of your sickness benefit qualifying income. However, you can apply to stay at the same level if you have a serious illness.

Yes, in certain cases.

If you are sick often
If you are sick more than 10 times in a 12-month period, you can skip the qualifying period. This is called general high-risk protection. You do not need to apply for general high-risk protection.

If you know in advance that you will be sick a lot
You can apply for special high risk protection if you know you will be on sick leave several times during a year. You can skip the qualifying period and receive sick pay right from the first day.

You are eligible for special high risk protection if you:

  • have an illness and know ahead of time that you will have to be absent from work at least 10 times a year.
  • are donating an organ or undergoing an examination for this type of procedure.

Special high risk protection

Holiday leave days is leave you have earned through work. This means that you should not have to use holiday time to get well. You can instead report yourself sick to your employer. During the first 14 days, you can receive sick pay from your employer. If you are sick for more than 14 days, you can apply for sickness benefit from Försäkringskassan.

Yes, provided that the travel does not negatively impact your rehabilitation or recovery.

If you will be travelling within the EU/EEA or to Switzerland, you do not need to apply to continue receiving your sickness benefit during your travel.

However, if you are travelling to a country outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you must apply to continue receiving your sickness benefit during your stay abroad before you leave. You apply on My pages (Mina sidor).

If you are unable to use My pages (Mina sidor), you can apply using the form.

7430 Begäran om medgivande att behålla eller få ersättning vid vistelse utanför EU, EES eller Schweiz

You can register a change of income by filling in and submitted the following form:

5157 Register a change of income in an on-going compensation matter – employee (90 kB)PDF opens in a new window

Yes, if you have a well-documented illness that puts you at risk of missing work for a long period of time, your company may get back the money paid to you as sick pay. This is called special high risk protection. Before such money can be paid back to your employer, you must first apply for special high risk protection.

Special high risk protection

Your employer is obligated to help you in your transition back to work. He/she must help adapt the work, if required, and provide support. For example, you might need different work tasks for a period of time or you might need to work fewer hours per day.

If you would like Försäkringskassan to participate in a meeting regarding work adaptation, call your personal administrative officer.

Yes, it is possible to change administrative officer but this may take some time. If you are not satisfied with your personal administrative officer, you must first speak with them to attempt to remedy the situation. If this does not work, you or your administrative officer can contact the administrative officer's closest supervisor.

If you don't know who your administrative officer is, call the Customer Centre at 0771-524 524.

If your employment ends or you are no longer employed for some other reason, call your personal administrative officer or, if no administrative officer has been assigned, the Customer Centre at 0771-524 524 and let us know. We will then make the necessary changes so you receive the right sickness benefit.

If you are not employed, you can receive a maximum of SEK 543 per day.

If you are seriously ill, there is no limit regarding how many days you can receive sickness benefit. If you are seriously ill, your sickness benefit if not reduced after one year. You instead continue to receive 80 per cent of your sickness benefit qualifying income. The National Board of Health and Welfare's website (opens in a new window) provides information on serious illnesses.

National Board of Health and Welfare (socialstyrelsen.se)

If you have a permanently diminished work capacity and will probably never be able to work again due to illness or disability, you may be entitled to activity compensation or sickness compensation. Sickness compensation is for people 30 years of age or older, while activity compensation is for people younger than 30.

You might know already from the start of your sickness absence that you will not be able to go back to your job, but think you might be able to work somewhere else despite your illness.

You may be able to look for a job while you are receiving sickness benefit until you have been on sick leave for 180 days.

It is Försäkringskassan which determines whether you are entitled to sickness benefit while looking for a new job. You should therefore always speak with your personal administrative officer before applying for a new job. He/she can also arrange a meeting with the Public Employment Service, which can help you search for a new job.

If you get a new job, you also have the right to take a leave of absence from your old job.

Sickness benefit qualifying income (SGI) is an amount that Försäkringskassan calculates based on your income.

Your SGI is used to determine whether you are entitled to compensation and how much money you can receive you get sick.

By answering a few brief questions about your situation, you can get information about SGI that applies specifically to you as an employee. By taking the few seconds required to answer the questions, you will learn:

  • How you become entitled to an SGI.
  • How it is calculated from your income.
  • How your SGI affects the compensation you receive.
  • What applies if your company is new.
  • That it is important to protect your SGI if you stop working or begin working less.

Starta SGI-guiden

Yes. If you are entitled to parental benefit at the sickness benefit level, you are entitled to sickness benefit if you cannot care for your child due to illness or someone else must be home to care for the child instead of you.

If you are not entitled to parental benefit at the sickness benefit level, then things are a little more complicated. Call the Customer Centre at 0771-524 524 to learn what applies for you.

How to apply for sickness benefit

1. Report your sickness

Report your sickness to Försäkringskassan the very first day you are sick.

Gör en sjukanmälan

2. Apply on My pages (Mina sidor)

Once you have reported your sickness, you can log in to My pages (Mina sidor) and apply for sickness benefit.

3. Send in doctor's certificate

If you are sick for more than 7 days, you must send in a doctor's certificate with information about your illness or injury. You can ask your doctor to submit it electronically or send in the paper.

If you have received a paper copy of your doctor's certificate, send the original to Försäkringskassans Inläsningscentral, 839 88 Östersund.

Sickness benefit is temporary compensation. It is intended to replace lost income until you can start working again. If and how long you are eligible for sickness benefit depends on how much your illness affects your ability to work.

Day 1-90
The first 90 days, you are entitled to sickness benefit if you are unable to perform your regular work or any other temporary work your employer can offer.

Day 91-180
After 90 days, you are entitled to sickness benefit if you are unable to perform your regular work or any other work your employer can offer.

Day 181-365
After 180 days, you are entitled to sickness benefit if you cannot perform any work on the regular labour market. This does not apply if we assess that you are highly likely to be able to return to some form of work with your employer prior to day 366. In such case, your work capacity is assessed in relation to the regular labour market after day 180. Similarly, it does it apply if it can be considered unreasonable to assess your work capacity in relation to work on the regular labour market.

Day 366-
After 365 days, you are only entitled to sickness benefit if you cannot perform any work on the regular labour market. This does not apply if it can be considered unreasonable to assess work capacity in relation to work on the regular labour market.

Yes. If you can work, but cannot travel to work the way you normally would, you can receive compensation for additional expenses incurred for your trips to work instead of receiving sickness benefit. For example, you can take a taxi instead of the bus if you have trouble walking. If you want to apply for an allowance for travel to and from work, write this in your application on My pages (Mina sidor).

As an employee, if you returned to work but then got sick again within five calendar days, no new qualifying period applies. But, if five or more calendar days have passed, a new qualifying period applies.

Your administrative officer can help you in your contacts with Försäkringskassan while you are on sick leave. You and your personal administrative officer shall also work together to create a plan for how you will return to work.

The plan will specify what measures are needed to enable you to return to work. If necessary, you personal administrative officer can also convene a reconciliation meeting. This meeting will involve you, your personal administrative officer and at least one other party. The other party could be your employer, your treating physician, or even a representative from the Public Employment Service.

You can bring a support person along to the meeting if you wish, for example a union representative or a relative.

Yes, in most cases you need to work part of the day to receive sickness benefit part time. For example, you cannot work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and be on sick leave Thursday and Friday.

Exceptions can be made in some cases, if this would be medically better for you. Contact your administrator if you need to work in a different way.


You are insured in Sweden if you work here. There are some exceptions from this rule. You can work in another country and still be insured in Sweden. There are also situations in which you can work in Sweden but be insured in another country. Call the Customer Centre at 0771-524 524 to learn what applies if you:

  • work as a sailor
  • are assigned to work in another country by a Swedish employer or are assigned to work in Sweden by a foreign employer
  • are a diplomat
  • work in two or more countries
  • are a civil servant of an administration that belongs to Sweden but work in another country
  • work as part of a flight crew
  • are a contracted employee within the EU
  • have been granted an exemption to be covered by Swedish social insurance

If you have technical issues

If your e-identification does not work or if you have other technical issues, you can get help on our technical support pages. There, you can get assistance from an administrator directly in a web meeting. You are then connected with the administrator, who can see your screen and help you. Web meetings are available during the Customer Centre’s opening hours.

Technical support

If you have a protected identity

If you have a protected identity, you cannot use all of the e-services found on My pages (Mina sidor). You can instead apply using a paper form.

If you must apply using a paper form

If you cannot apply for sickness benefit via My pages (Mina sidor), call the Customer Centre at 0771-524 524 to have a form sent to your home. You cannot download the form here on the web since it has been pre-filled with information about you.
All other forms that can be downloaded from the website can be found under Forms and certificates.

Forms and certificates

If your employer does not think you are entitled to sick pay, you can apply to receive sick pay from Försäkringskassan. This is called sick pay guarantee. We can pay your sick pay if you and your employer are in dispute over the terms of your employment or your work capacity. For example, your employer may think you are capable of working despite your illness.

You apply for sick pay guarantee using My pages (Mina sidor). You must apply no later than three months after the month you should have received your sick pay.

Sickness benefit for employees