The short answer
An employee who is too ill to work notifies the employer on day one. The employer normally pays sjuklön for the first fourteen calendar days, with a karensavdrag equal to 20% of an average week's sick pay. A medical certificate is normally required from day eight. If the absence continues, the employee can apply for sjukpenning from Försäkringskassan from day 15.
The first step is a message to work
Do not begin by calling Försäkringskassan. Make a sjukanmälan to the employer through its normal channel as soon as you know you cannot work.
You do not need to broadcast a detailed diagnosis. State that you are ill, cannot work and when you will update the estimate. The manager may discuss information needed to arrange work or adjustments.
| In Swedish | What it means | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Jag är sjuk och kan inte arbeta idag. | I am ill and cannot work today. | A sufficient first-morning message. |
| Jag hör av mig imorgon igen. | I will update you again tomorrow. | When the duration is not yet clear. |
Days 1 to 14: the employer pays sjuklön
For the first fourteen calendar days, the employer normally pays sick pay instead of ordinary salary. A payslip may show both an absence deduction and a sjuklön line.
Karensavdrag is not simply an unpaid first day. It equals 20% of the sick pay for an average working week. With regular hours that often resembles one day; variable schedules can produce a less intuitive figure, and a collective agreement may refine it.
Compare the lines using the Swedish payslip guide, not only the net deposit.
| In Swedish | What it means | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| sjuklön | sick pay from the employer | The payment during the first fourteen days. |
| karensavdrag | qualifying deduction | The deduction calculated from average weekly sick pay. |
Day 8: the medical certificate
An employee normally gives the employer a läkarintyg from the eighth calendar day. Contact healthcare before reaching that date rather than trying to arrange an assessment on the eighth morning.
The certificate mainly describes how illness reduces work capacity. It does not itself guarantee payment; it provides evidence for the employer or Försäkringskassan.
Some situations can require an earlier certificate. Check internal procedures and the collective agreement if the employer raises this.
| In Swedish | What it means | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| läkarintyg | medical certificate | Normally required from day eight. |
| arbetsförmåga | work capacity | What the certificate and agency assess. |
From day 15: Försäkringskassan
If illness continues, the employer normally reports the case and you can apply for sjukpenning. Check Mina sidor for the report and certificate; the doctor and employer do not finish your personal application for you.
Partial return is possible when work capacity is reduced rather than absent. Discuss the percentage and task adjustments, not only a yes-or-no return.
The sequence is four verbs: notify, document, apply and verify. Dates matter more than perfect Swedish.
For the rest of the work calendar, Swedish annual leave rules explain paid days. To make spoken estimates less abrupt, ju, väl and nog mark confidence and agreement.
Sources
- Försäkringskassan: Intyg för sjukpenning2026-09-18
- Försäkringskassan: Karensavdrag2026-09-18
Rules and processing times change. Check the official page for your own case before acting on anything here.
Questions people ask
- Who pays the first days of sick leave in Sweden?
- The employer normally pays sjuklön for up to fourteen calendar days. From day 15, Försäkringskassan may pay sjukpenning if the conditions are met.
- When is a medical certificate required?
- Normally from the eighth calendar day of the sickness period, with exceptions in some situations.
- Is the first day completely unpaid?
- The system uses a karensavdrag equal to 20% of an average week's sick pay. It often resembles one day but varies with schedules and agreements.
- Must I tell my manager the diagnosis?
- The first notification can be brief. Necessary documentation later focuses on how the condition reduces work capacity.
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