If you receive notice of redundancies or temporary layoffs
“Notice” is when an employer gives a warning of a larger number of terminations. Receiving notice and terminations often occur when there is a lack of work. Here, we present tips on how to prepare, even if you don’t know yet whether you will be unemployed. You will also find out what happens if you are temporarily laid off, made redundant, or if your employer goes bankrupt, and what support you can receive from transition organisations if your employment ends.
Have you received notice of redundancies?
It is not a certainty that you will be made redundant and unemployed if you have received notice. You can find a new job during this period and the conditions may change at your workplace, so that you keep your job.
It is important that you register on the first day of unemployment. You can also apply for the unemployment insurance fund (a-kassa) immediately. You also keep your sickness benefit qualifying income (sjukpenninggrundande inkomst, SGI).
What do I do if I am made redundant?
When you are given notice of terminations, you do not need to contact us. Not everyone who receives notice will be made redundant. But even if you do not know whether you will be affected, it is good to plan ahead, because you might be.
If you are made redundant – register with us on your first day of unemployment.
What does “notice” mean?
Notice means that an employer is giving its employees advance warning that they might be made redundant, often due to lack of work. The employer is obligated to give notice if at least five people in the same county are at risk of being made redundant due to lack of work. Not everyone who receives notice will be made redundant.
Practically speaking, it means that the employer is notifying both the union and us. This notification includes the reason for the planned reductions, when they will occur, and how many people will be involved.
Checklist if you receive notice of redundancies
It is not at all certain that receiving notice means you will be made redundant, but it can still be good to prepare. Here are a few tips if you have received notice.
- Look up what applies with regard to the notice period, insurance, and occupational pension.
- Create a skills profile here on our website. This will improve your chances of finding a new job.
- Search for available jobs in the Job Bank (Platsbanken) (in Swedish)
- Figure out what you want if you no longer have a job. Use the Do-it-Yourself Career Guidance to find tools as you consider jobs or training.
- Prepare your CV and job applications and find tips on how to be a good jobseeker. This way, you will be ready if and when it is time to start searching for work.
Transition support – when your employment ends
If you lose your job you can look into whether you are entitled to support from a transition organisation. This support will help you on your path to a new job, and you can apply for it before your current job ends. Transition support might be available if you have been terminated due to lack of work or illness, or after limited-time employment ends.
If you have a job with an employer with a collective agreement, you may receive transition support from the transition organisation to which you belong.
Find out the transition organisation to which you belong (hittaomstallningsorg.se) (in Swedish)
If your employer does not have a collective agreement, you can apply for support from the public transition organisation.
Your new career can begin – Public transition organisation (nysteget.se) (in Swedish)
Have you been temporarily laid off?
Being temporarily laid off involves a reduction in working hours without losing your salary. You might also not work at all, but still receive your full salary. You always retain your employment while you are temporarily laid off and you must be prepared to start working as usual again when things have improved for the company.
You may also be put on short-time work (korttidsarbete/korttidspermittering). This involves working fewer hours, but receiving slightly less pay than when you are temporarily laid off. If a company faces temporary issues that were completely unexpected, this can lead to short-time work.
What do I do if I am temporarily laid off?
You do not need to register with the Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) when you are temporarily laid off or put on short-time work, because you are still employed. Only when you become unemployed do you register with the Public Employment Service.
Wage guarantee if your employer goes bankrupt
The national wage guarantee means you can receive your salary even if your employer goes bankrupt. The state pays this money via the County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen). The trustee in bankruptcy decides on wage guarantees. Contact the trustee if you have questions about your salary. To find out who your trustee is, contact the district court that made the decision on bankruptcy.