Employment

Lund University as an employer is obliged to inform new employees in writing about essential terms of employment. 

At the university, the information requirement according to section 6 c LAS is initially fulfilled by printing the information sheet "Information on terms of employment according to section 6 c of the Employment Protection Act (1982:80)" together with the employment decision and giving it to the employee no later than 7 calendar days after the employee has started his or her employment.

The same information is also available on Medarbetarwebben and Staff pages via the QR code on the employment decision. The information sheet is also available for printing in Varbi. 

Download Information about terms of employment under Section 6 c of the Employment Protection Act (1982:80) from the HR forms and templates page

If there is additional employment information of essential importance in the individual case, this information can be included in the employment decision under Other information.

Further down on this page:

• The process at Lund University

Redundancy is not necessarily the result of a shortage of work duties. It could, for example, come about due to an organisational change.

Operational, organisational or economic changes can result in a change of staffing requirements. The term “redundancy” refers to the staff changes that result from these causes and does not necessarily result from a shortage of work duties. The employer, based on their management rights, determines whether redundancy is necessary or not. At the same time, the employer must be able to present satisfactory supporting documentation for the judgement that has been reached. It is not redundancy if the reason is only applicable to the employee on a personal level. Before redundancy can be confirmed, the situation is to be investigated to ascertain that there is no other work available that offers a possibility of redeployment.

As a manager in charge of staff, you have the main responsibility for the transition process if redundancy arises. The University’s process for handling redundancy includes the basic elements that you need to know in order to manage a redundancy situation in the correct way.

A number of laws and agreements regulate the transition process in the case of redundancy, such as the Employment Protection Act (LAS), the Public Employment Act (LOA) and the Agreement on order of priority for government employees (TurA-S). During the process, the University also has an obligation to negotiate in accordance with the Employment (Co-Determination in the Workplace) Act and a requirement to cooperate with the health and safety organisation in accordance with the Work Environment Act.

The process at Lund University

As an employer, the University has a responsibility to ensure the transition process in the case of redundancy is carried out in a correct and efficient manner.

As a manager in charge of staff, you initiate the transition process if redundancy arises. The diagram below shows the various stages of this process. It describes what is to be done, when activities are to take place, and who is to act.

Planning

• Inform those affected
• Investigate solutions

Confirm redundancy

• Prepare documentation
• Assess risks and impact
• Negotiate redundancy

Redeployment

• Investigate redeployment opportunities
• Offer redeployment

Order of priority

• Investigate priority groups
• Negotiate order of priority

Termination of employment

• Notice of termination
• Transition support
• Termination of employment

Content: 

• General information about secondary employment
• Annual notification of secondary employment for teachers
• Other employees
• Assessment of secondary employment
• Dealing with unauthorised secondary employment
• Employer's obligation to negotiate
• Labour law consequences
• Training on how to report secondary employment

General information on secondary employment

In principle, a secondary occupation is any activity carried out temporarily or permanently outside the scope of employment.

The main rule is that secondary occupations are authorised. However, a secondary occupation must not be in breach of trust under the Public Employment Act, nor must it compete with or obstruct work based on central collective agreements, see more information under each heading below.

As a manager, you have a responsibility to inform your employees about the rules on secondary employment.

To support this information, there is a short training on ‘Reporting secondary employment - how should I think’ for all employees in the competence portal. We recommend that all employees, both managers and new recruits, take part in this training. A link to the training is available in the right-hand column.

Annual notification of secondary employment for teachers 

Teachers and managers who are part of the university's local management circle must report annually whether they have secondary employment or not. The notification must be made in primula during the first quarter, i.e. by 31 March.

The notification must then be assessed with a justification by you as manager, no later than 30 April. Any decision to cease secondary employment must also be made by 30 April.

This is stated in the university-wide procedure and annual cycle that you will find under related documents in the right-hand column.

For you as head of department, there is a university-wide template with information (in Swedish and English) to send out to teachers when it is time for the annual notification of secondary employment.

Newly appointed teachers must make a notification as soon as possible, but no later than one month from the start of employment,

Other employees

For other employees, they are only obliged to submit a notification of secondary employment when the manager requests this, when the employee is unsure whether the secondary employment is permitted, or wants the employer to assess it.

Changes to existing secondary employment (e.g. changed scope or nature) must also be reported, as well as if the employee takes up another position at Lund University that may affect the previous assessment.

Assessment of secondary employment 

A number of different circumstances come into play when assessing secondary employment, and a reported secondary employment must be assessed in each individual case. Each assessment must be justified in Primula.

It is important that you have read both the regulations and the memorandum on secondary employment before assessing reported secondary employment. There is a checklist to help you in the assessment (see related documents in the right-right column). 

If you are unsure about the assessment, contact your HR partner/contact person for secondary employment at your faculty or equivalent.

Dealing with unauthorised secondary employment 

If it is noticed that an employee is exercising an unauthorised secondary employment, the matter should primarily be resolved through counselling and discussions with the employee.

According to the Public Employment Act (LOA § 7 c) and collective agreements, the university must make a special decision that an employee must cease an unauthorised secondary employment or prohibit the employee from taking on a secondary employment. Before taking such a decision, it is important that you contact your HR partner/designated contact person for secondary employment at your faculty.

The employer's obligation to negotiate before making a decision

It is the employer who decides on the permissibility of a competing secondary employment and assesses whether a secondary employment can be considered to be an obstacle to work and should therefore be discontinued.

Secondary occupations that hinder work and competing secondary occupations are regulated by collective agreements. This means that the employer has a duty to negotiate under the MBL with the trade union organisation before deciding that the employee must discontinue the secondary employment that has been deemed unlawful.

Delegation

Who has the delegation to decide that a secondary employment should cease (or prohibit taking on) is regulated in regulations on the distribution of decision-making powers at Lund University.

Download the regulations under Related documents in the right column.

Labour law consequences

Failure to disclose secondary employment, to provide incorrect information, or to cease secondary employment after an assessment/decision that it is considered damaging to confidence, obstructing work or competing may be assessed under labour law and, in more serious cases, may risk the employee being separated from their employment at Lund University.

Training on how to report secondary employment 

Training: How to report secondary emloyment

Content: 

• For whom?
• Based on the needs of the organisation
• Written agreement with the immediate manager
• Scope
• Definitions of workplace
• Duties
• Working hours and accessibility
• Equipment and costs
• Work environment
• Insurance
• Security and confidentiality

Lund University is a campus university, which means that education and research are mainly conducted on campus.

Remote work can contribute to efficiency based on the needs of the organisation and employees.

It is a possibility for employees that may be applied if it benefits the organisation, when the nature of the duties and the needs of the organisation allow it. Remote working is neither a right nor an obligation.

For whom?

The Lund University guidelines för remote work se guidelines apply to employees at Lund University with the exception of those employees included in the current working hours agreement for teaching staff or the local manager agreement. 

Based on the needs of the organisation

Remote work must be organised on the basis of the needs of the business. The employee must be present at the main workplace to the extent required by the organisation and work tasks.

As an employer/manager, you manage and distribute the work in your organisation and assess and decide on the possibility of remote work.

Written agreement with the immediate manager

Remote work requires a written agreement with the immediate manager for up to 40 per cent of the working hours.

Agreements on remote work involving more than 40 per cent of working hours are made by the immediate supervisor. 

The agreement can be terminated by both parties with a period of notice of one month. If the agreement is not complied with, it can be terminated with immediate effect.

As the amount of remote work is specified as a percentage, it is possible to organise the time individually. However, there may be a business need to know about the arrangement.

Even if there is a written agreement on remote work, there is no obligation to work from home. The employee is always welcome to the main place of work (which follows from the fact that there is no obligation to remote work). 

It is not possible for the employee to save agreed remote work days for another occasion.

Follow-up of the agreement

The agreement can be signed for a limited period, but it is also possible to sign it indefinitely. However, it is important that a follow-up is carried out, for example in connection with annual staff appraisal. 

Keeping a record of the written agreement

Agreements on remote must be registered in series P, case type 2.2.2.3. Use the categorisation template "Remote work agreement)".

Remember to fill in the employee as the counterpart of the case. There should be one case per individual and agreement. The case can therefore be closed immediately when the agreement is registered in the case. Use the document type "Agreement". The document must be marked as confidential (state the statutory section OSL 39:3).

Any termination of an agreement on remote work must be registered in a new case in the same series and case type. Use the categorisation template "Remote work (termination of agreement)".

Scope

The employee is to be present at the main workplace to the extent required by the organisation and duties. Remote work is to be conducted based on the needs of the organisation. The main rule is that remote work is to account for no more than 40 per cent of working hours.

If there is a need for a greater scope, this is handled according to a specific delegation procedure.

Definitions of workplace

Main workplace

Main workplace refers to the physical workplace at a Lund University building.

Remote work

Remote work refers to work regularly carried out at home, or at another agreed location outside the main workplace, with satisfactory insurance cover, one or more days per week within Sweden’s borders, but from 1 July 2024 also on two specific occasions from abroad:  

• When employees who have their workplace in Sweden normally commute from their home in Denmark. This is if the remote work takes place from home and in a similar way to the employer's remote work within Sweden.
• When employees telework from another EU/EEA country for a shorter period (one to two weeks) on an occasional basis.

Remote work requires a written agreement. 

Temporary workplace

Work at a temporary workplace refers to the possibility for employees at Lund University to temporarily work at a location other than the main workplace, if the nature of the duties and the needs of the organisation allow it. Temporary workplace is taken to mean the home, or other agreed location, with satisfactory insurance cover. Oral consent from the line manager is a precondition for a temporary workplace.

Temporary work at another location (temporary workplace) and business trips are not covered by the Lund University guidelines for remote work.

Employees are always welcome to their main workplace

Even if employees have written agreements with their managers regarding remote work, they are always welcome at their main workplace at the University on those days they had had planned to work remotely.

Duties

The employer and the employee are to jointly define the duties that are appropriate for remote work and reach an agreement about how the work is to be reported and followed up. The employer ultimately decides which duties can be carried out remotely, based on the organisation’s needs. Duties that entail specific risks are not to be carried out remotely. 

Working hours and accessibility

Working hours are regulated according to the current flexitime agreement.

Regarding remote work, regardless of where the duties are carried out, the employee is to be accessible during working hours by answering the phone, communicating via email, participating in digital meetings and by otherwise contributing to the facilitation of contacts between colleagues and stakeholders. 

Equipment and costs

For remote work, only tools and communication channels provided by the employer (regular laptop and mobile phone) can be used. Private telephones should not be used, either for direct calls or to transfer calls.

The employer does not have to provide other equipment (such as a desk chair, computer screen and height-adjustable desk) at the remote workplace. The university offers a fully equipped workplace at the main workplace.

The employer is responsible for the technical support and insurance of work equipment, as well as damage or loss of equipment and other property belonging to the employer and the usual costs for the service telephone. The employer is not responsible for any other additional costs arising from telework (e.g. electricity, broadband or wear and tear).

When working remotely, VPN must be used, according to the University's instructions for working outside the internal network.

Work environment

The manager is responsible for the work environment regardless of whether the workplace is on the university's premises or at the remote workplace. Both the Work Environment Act and the Swedish Work Environment Authority's regulations apply.

The employee is responsible for the proper functioning of the remote workplace, and must participate in the work environment work by reporting risks that could lead to illness or accidents.

If a special reason has arisen, the manager and health and safety organisation are to be granted access to the remote workplace in order to check the design of the workplace in more detail. 

Insurance

The employer/manager is responsible for ensuring that the employee is insured against occupational injury directly related to the work. When working at the main workplace, all events occurring are considered to be at work.

If the employee is injured at the office, the employer's insurance applies, even if it is on a day when the employee would have worked remotely according to the written agreement. 

When working elsewhere than at the main workplace, the insurer will assess whether the injury has occurred in connection with the performance of the work, which means a stricter interpretation. It is the insurer who decides on the settlement of claims in the event of an injury, and the employer cannot influence this.

When an employee is going to work remotely from home, and signs a written agreement to this effect with their line manager, the employee is responsible for ensuring that they have home insurance. 

It is not necessary to be registered at the remote workplace, but it can be difficult to obtain adequate insurance cover without being registered. It is therefore a good idea for employees to contact their insurance company and ensure that any damage is covered by their own insurance.

In terms of insurance, the same rules apply whether it is temporary work from home (temporary workplace) or remote work. The only difference is that there is no need for a written agreement for a temporary workplace.

Security and confidentiality

In remote work, only the tools and communication channels provided by the employer (lap top computer and mobile phone) are to be used .

A VPN connection is always to be used. The computer is to be protected and it must be ensured that sensitive information is not accessible to outsiders. The University’s rules and recommendations also apply to remote work. 

• The Staff Accountability Board
• Support

What is misconduct?

In labour law terms, misconduct can be summarised as an employee acting or behaving in a way that violates the employment contract. The employment contract is the agreement made when a person accepts the offer to work at Lund University, where some things are regulated by laws, regulations and collective agreements, while other things are assumed. For example, it is assumed that the employee performs the work that the employer needs to get done, in return for salary being paid at given times during the year.

Examples of obligations for employees:

• perform work assigned by the employer
• comply with applicable laws and regulations
• comply with applicable work instructions and regulations
• be responsible for finances and care for entrusted property
• comply with applicable safety regulations
• use protective equipment and devices
• report secondary employment as instructed
• contribute to a good working environment
• not commit crimes that affect the work, the employer or other employees
• inform the employer of any circumstances that are relevant to the work

Your responsibilities as a manager

As a manager/head of department/equivalent, in your role as employer and representative of the organisation, you are responsible for the functioning of the organisation and the organisational and social working environment. You are responsible for continuously monitoring your employees' compliance with employment contracts, laws and regulations, their contribution to the achievement of business objectives, and their contribution to a good organisational and social work environment.

As a manager, you must act as soon as you can in misconduct cases. Make it clear what the misconduct is, that the misconduct is not acceptable, investigate the cause of the misconduct, take the necessary action and follow up the action regularly. The sooner you address the misconduct, the easier it will be for you, the employee and the organisation to resolve it.

You can find support material for managers in the right-hand column.

The Staff Accountability Board

Here you will find information on what the Staff Responsibility Board (PAN) is, what its tasks are and how to report to the PAN. There is also brief information about the National Accountability Board (SAN).

Composition of the Staff Accountability Board

The PAN is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor. The University Board appoints three members and three deputies for the organisation. Lund University's trade union organisations appoint three representatives and three alternates. In addition, there is a rapporteur and a secretary from the HR section to support the PAN.

National Accountability Board

The National Accountability Board (SAN) examines issues of disciplinary liability, prosecution, dismissal, suspension and compulsory medical examination of government employees in senior positions such as heads of agencies, judges, prosecutors and professors.

The purpose of a review outside the authority where the employee works and holds a senior position is to ensure that there is no suspicion of undue consideration by colleagues during the review. The Board's decision, like other decisions by employers, may be subject to a labour law dispute.

Notifying cases

Notification of a case to the PAN or SAN is done in a specific order. Individuals cannot report a case to the PAN or SAN. Managers who intend to report a case to PAN/SAN must have consulted the HR function at faculty level/equivalent. The HR function will in turn contact the HR section for support in the notification process.

Tasks of the PAN

Section 25 of the Public Authorities Ordinance (2007:515) stipulates that PAN shall examine questions about

• dismissal from employment on the grounds of personal circumstances, when the employment is not a probationary period
• disciplinary liability
• notification of prosecution
• suspension

It is the Vice-Chancellor who decides in the first instance whether to take up the complaint in the PAN or to send the complaint from the Lund University authority to the SAN.

The PAN meets on six pre-booked occasions per year, but can also be convened in addition if necessary.

Support

• Support material for managers – handling and investigating professional misconduct (PDF 244 kB, new tab)
• Workshop for Managers: Prevent and manage misconduct 
  For more information and registration, log in to Kompetensportalen

Content: :

• General information on annual leave
• New employees' right to annual leave
• Allocation of annual leave
• Allocation of teachers' annual leave
• Doctoral students
• T/A staff
• Individual agreement to forego holiday supplement in favour of three days off (Saco/S)

General information on annual leave

The main purpose of the Annual Holidays Act is to give all employees the opportunity to take paid leave for rest and recreation. The Act contains three benefits: annual leave, annual leave pay and annual leave compensation.

All employees in Sweden are entitled to 25 days' annual leave, i.e. five weeks' holiday.

Government employees are entitled to more than 25 days of annual leave and paid annual leave from their first year of employment.

Age determines how many days of annual leave an employee is entitled to:

• 28 days up to and including the year of turning 29.
• 31 days from the year of turning 30.
• 35 days from the year they turn 40.

The accrual of paid annual leave is related to the employee's length of service during the accrual year. The year of accrual is the year in which an employee has earned his/her annual leave. The annual leave year is the year in which an employee is entitled to take accrued leave. Within the University, the calendar year is both the accrual year and the holiday year.

Information on accounting for annual leave costs etc (The Economy web, Lund University)

New employees' right to annual leave

A new employee is entitled to paid annual leave from their first year of employment, but the number of paid annual leave days decreases the later in the year the employment starts. An employee who has not earned a full year's annual leave is entitled to additional (unpaid) annual leave, with enough days to ensure the total annual leave for the year amounts to five weeks.

If employment starts on 1 September or later, the employee is entitled to five days of leave. This leave can be either paid or unpaid, depending on how many annual leave days are earned during the year.

Note that certain absences reduce the number of holiday days. Seek assistance from your nearest HR partner on this matter.

Allocation of annual leave

As a manager, you are ultimately responsible for ensuring that holiday for the employee is allocated and taken. The purpose of holiday is to provide the employee with an opportunity for rest and recreation. Therefore, sick days should not be exchanged for holiday days.

The entire annual holiday should be allocated during the year unless there are special reasons or the employee wishes to save holiday. An employee who is entitled to more than 20 paid holiday days for a calendar year may save one or more of the excess days for a later calendar year. At least 20 days must be allocated.

It is you as the manager who decides when the holiday will be allocated, based on your employees' wishes.

Annual cycles for annual leave management

The HR Division has developed a university-wide support in the form of annual cycles for annual leave management throughout the year. It is important to have routines regarding annual leave at each workplace.

Refer to the annual cycles for managing holiday for teachers and T/A staff in the right-hand column of the page.

Checklist for annual leave follow-up

Each department should document how this is followed up and explain any deviations. Use the annual leave checklist as support to follow up on employees' annual leave taken during the year. You can document your follow-up by noting the date when you have followed up on an action. At the end, there is a list of the most common terms and how to interpret them.

Refer to the checklist in the right-hand column of the page.

Allocation of teachers' annual leave

Annual leave for teachers is normally scheduled during student holidays or other non-teaching periods. The definition of teachers can be found in Lund University's employment regulations (available for download in the right-hand column).

At Lund University, the scheduling of teachers' annual leave is regulated by the Local Agreement on Working Hours for Teachers and Others at Lund University. Also, refer to Section 10 in the advice and instructions to the working hours agreement for teachers (available for download in the right-hand column).

The main rule in the agreement is that the entire annual leave is scheduled consecutively, starting on the Monday following the Midsummer weekend, unless otherwise agreed in writing between the head of department and the individual employee.

Annual leave according to the main rule in the working hours agreement for eachers

According to the main rule, the entire annual leave is scheduled consecutively, starting on the Monday following the Midsummer weekend. Teachers thus take their entire annual holiday in one go and do not need to apply for holiday.

The annual leave is registered in Primula by SSC.

Annual leave by agreement with the head of cepartment/equivalent

The working hours agreement allows the employer and individual teacher to agree to schedule all or part of the annual leave at a different time than the main rule and to save annual leave for a later year.

If a teacher wishes to schedule annual leave at a different time, the teacher must notify the head of department/equivalent of their request at least ten working days before the desired holiday, but no later than 30 April. The planning of the entire year's annual leave is done at this time, and a written agreement is then made through an approved annual leave application, made by the teacher via Primula. The application covers all annual leave for the year and must be approved in Primula by 31 May.

Annual leave application in Primula

This option can be advantageously used if a teacher needs to interrupt their annual leave to, for example, attend a conference, conduct fieldwork, or similar for a short period.

Saving annual leave

If a teacher wishes to save annual leave, the same procedure applies as above, i.e., the teacher notifies the head of department/equivalent of their request to save annual leave at least ten working days before the desired annual leave, but no later than 30 April. The planning of the entire year's annual leave is done at this time, and a written agreement is then made through an approved annual leave application, made by the teacher via Primula. The application covers the annual leave days the teacher wishes to take during the current year and must be approved in Primula by 31 May.

To be able to save annual leave, the following criteria must be met:

• There is an approved annual leave application for at least 20 annual leave days in Primula by 31 May. Only days beyond these can be saved.
• The total number of saved days after the year's annual leave application does not exceed 30 days. A maximum of 30 annual leave days can be saved in total.
• The annual working time in the current year's personnel plan is increased by the time corresponding to the saved days. For each annual leave day not taken, the annual working time increases by eight hours, and the annual working time decreases correspondingly in the year the saved annual leave day is taken.

There is a university-wide form template to document that the criteria for saving annual leave are met and how many days are saved for a later year.

Download the form template on the Forms and Templates page.

Special regulation regarding agreement on annual leave before midsummer

If a teacher has made an agreement with the head of department/equivalent, has applied for annual leave as mentioned above, and the application only concerns annual leave days taken before Midsummer, the remaining annual leave shall be scheduled according to the main rule in the working hours agreement, i.e., the rest of the year's annual leave is taken consecutively starting on the Monday following the Midsummer weekend. The teacher does not need to apply for annual leave for the remaining days.

The holiday is registered in Primula by SSC.

Agreement to save annual leave

Note the exception if there is an agreement between the teacher and the head of department/equivalent that the main annual leave of the year (at least 20 days) shall be taken before Midsummer and the remaining days shall be saved for a later year.

In these cases, the employer must inform SSC about this, otherwise the remaining holiday will be scheduled according to the main rule in the working hours agreement.

Even when annual leave to be taken after the teachers' holiday period has been approved in Primula and the remaining days are to be saved for a later year, SSC must be informed to prevent the remaining annual leave from being scheduled according to the main rule in the working hours agreement. The date for the teachers' annual leave period is calculated from the Monday after Midsummer and varies slightly from year to year.

SSC is preferably informed by an authorised representative of the employer sending a copy of the form for documenting that annual leave is to be saved (signed by the teacher and the head of department/equivalent) via SSC's customer portal.

Download the form template on the Forms and Templates page.

SSC Portal – Log in 24/7

Read more about managing teachers' holiday in Primula.

Doctoral students

Doctoral students apply for annual leave in SSC Primula according to the routines applicable at the workplace. From both a work environment perspective and an operational perspective, it is important that doctoral students take their entire annual leave, preferably after Midsummer when teachers' annual leaave is normally scheduled.

T/A staff

For T/A staff, there is no automatic scheduling of annual leave. Instead, the employer shall schedule annual leave in consultation with the employee.

Each department should have a routine for when requests for the scheduling of the main annual leave (in the summer) should be submitted, so that employees can be informed about the scheduling of the annual leave at least two months before the start of the annual leave (applies to the main annual leave).

Annual leave should be scheduled consecutively for at least four weeks during June, July, and August unless otherwise agreed or if there are special reasons.

Remember to also consider any parental leave in the annual leave planning.

Annual leave for employees with concentrated working hours

Concentrated working hours mean that an employee works fewer than five days on average per week, i.e., has one or more completely free days during the week.

To ensure that those who only work certain days of the week do not receive longer annual leave, the annual leave days must be recalculated. This is done automatically in SSC Primula when applying for annual leave.

The calculation is based on the schedule registered in SSC Primula, so it is important that those working concentrated part-time check that the schedule in SSC Primula is updated and matches their working hours. Any changes to the schedule should be reported by the employee via SSC's customer service portal.

If you disagree on the allocation of annual leave

Always contact the nearest HR partner at the faculty/equivalent in case of disagreement regarding the allocation of annual leave.

Saved annual leave days

Each employee who is entitled to more than 20 paid annual leave days for a certain calendar year may save one or more of the excess days for a later holiday year. An employee may have a maximum of 30 saved annual leave days. Before saved annual leave can be taken, the current year's days must be used first.

Those who wish to use saved annual leave days must notify the employer of this when applying for annual leave or at least two months in advance.

If a certain part of the annual leave could not be scheduled during the year due to special reasons, it is converted into saved annual leave. If the unused annual leave does not fit within the 30 days that can be saved, annual leave pay is paid out for the excess number of days. However, this does not mean that an employee can exchange annual leave leave for money.

Illness or need for other leave during annual leave

If an employee falls ill during ongoing annual leave or needs to take leave for another reason that qualifies for annual leave pay according to Sections 17a – 17b of the Holiday Act, the employee must promptly (but no later than upon returning to work after the annual leave) notify the employer that they wish to exchange the annual leave for sick leave or other leave. This is regulated in Section 15 of the Holiday Act. The exchange of a holiday day can only apply to a full day.

Individual agreement to forego holiday supplement in favour of three days off (Saco/S)

Under certain conditions, it is possible for the employer and employee (member of Saco-S or unorganised) to make an agreement to forego the annual leave supplement in favour of days off.

Facts

• Background
• Requirements for Signing an Individual Agreement on Holiday Exchange
• Allocation and Taking of the Three Days Off
• If Conditions Change During the Holiday Year
• How to Proceed (Three-Step Process)
• Managing Leave in Primula
• Handling When the Agreement Falls Through

Background

With the support of the central collective agreement (Chapter 5, Section 18 of the Villkorsavtal-T), it is now possible under certain conditions (described below) to sign an individual agreement to forego the annual leave supplement in favour of three days off. This opportunity applies to employees covered by the Villkorsavtal-T (Saco/S).

This means that the opportunity currently only applies to employees who are members of Saco-S or are unorganised. As a manager, you need to ask the employee about their membership before signing the agreement.

For employees whose working hours are regulated according to Appendix 5 of the VA-T, the agreement corresponds to 24 hours in relation to the annual working time.

Annual leavve supplements based on variable salary supplements are not included in the exchange.

Requirements for signing an individual agreement on annual leave exchange

• The employer assesses that it is possible for operational reasons/needs to allocate such leave during the annual leave year to which the exchange applies.
• The employee does not have more than five saved annual leave days at the beginning of the holiday year to which the exchange applies.
• The employee does not have any planned long-term absence during the holiday year.
• The employee does not have another individual agreement on annual leave exchange.
• Employees with fixed-term contracts are only included if the employment extends over the entire holiday year to which the exchange applies.

Allocation and taking of the three days off

• The three days off must be taken as leave during the holiday year to which the exchange applies and cannot be saved for future years.
• The days can only be taken after all the current year's holiday days have been used.
• The employee's request for the allocation of the days will be accommodated if they are compatible with the operational requirements.

If conditions change during the holiday year

• If, due to special reasons, it is not possible for the employee to take one or more of the days off, a payment equivalent to 4.6 percent of the fixed salary per day not taken as leave will be made.
• The agreement remains valid even if the employee has continuous absence of up to a maximum of one month during the year.
• If the continuous absence exceeds one month, the agreement does not apply, and the days will be exchanged back to annual leave supplements, or a salary debt may arise.
• If an employee leaves before the end of the holiday year, the agreement does not apply. The leave taken will be adjusted in proportion to the annual leave-qualifying employment period. If the employee has taken too many days off in relation to the annual leave-qualifying employment period, a repayment to the employer will be required.
• If the employee has not taken the days off in relation to the annual leave-qualifying employment period, a payment of the earned annual leave supplement will be made.
• Read more below about handling when the agreement ceases due to changed conditions as described above.

The agreement is valid for one year and must be signed the year before the holiday year to which the exchange applies. See the timeline below.

How to proceed (three-step process)

Step 1: Analysis and dialogue

• Analyse the conditions for an individual agreement on annual leave exchange for three days off. Also consider the potential impact on the overall operation.
• Ask the employee if they are a member of Saco-S or unorganised to ensure the agreement is possible.
• The manager and employee discuss whether the conditions for the exchange are met.
• Draft an individual agreement and ensure all conditions are met. Use the template available for download on the Forms and Templates page.

Step 2: Sign the agreement

• The department prepares the documentation and sends it to the designated HR faculty representative according to the timeline for your faculty.
• The HR faculty representative collects all the faculty's documentation and ensures the criteria for the agreement are met.
• The HR faculty representative sends the documentation of individual agreements (unsigned) for Saco/S members to Saco/S for information.
• The HR faculty representative collectively enters all the faculty's documentation (one separate agreement per employee) into eduSign for digital signing and sends it out for signing by all parties. The HR director should be the last to sign. This must be done by 8 November.
• The agreement for the coming year must be signed by all parties by 1 December of the previous year and is valid only when signed by all parties, including the HR director.

Step 3: Final actions in the system

• The department reports the agreement to SSC via a case in the portal by the deadline for manual documentation before the January payroll run according to the SSC timeline.
• The agreement must be recorded in W3D3.
• The agreement is also sent to the employee.

Managing leave in Primula

For employees who have signed an agreement to exchange the annual leave supplement for three extra days off, and which has been sent to SSC, the leave can then be applied for in Primula using the leave reason "Leave" extra days annual leave exchange 3 days off according to individual agreement, found on My Page under the Leave section.

On My Page under the Voluntary Accumulators section, Remaining days holiday exchange, those who have set aside days can see a balance for the set-aside days, which is reduced when leave is taken. The balance is only updated after the monthly payroll run.

The department is responsible for ensuring that the current year's holiday is taken before these days are used. There is no control in Primula for this.

Handling when the agreement falls through

If the conditions for the agreement fall through, a case should be sent by the manager or HR to SSC via the portal as soon as information is available, with a brief description of the reason why the agreement falls through.

In the event of correction/payment, SSC will handle it within two months. If the case is submitted before the deadline for manual documentation in, for example, September, payment will be made in October.

If a salary debt arises for any reason, it will be handled according to the regular routine for salary debts.

FAQs

Is it possible to exchange, for example, two days if desired?

No, it is only possible to exchange the entire year's annual leave supplement, which generates three days off. Therefore, it is not possible to choose the number of days.

Is there guidance on what is meant by longer planned absence?

The possibility to exchange is primarily intended for those who do not have other types of leave during the year, either full-time or part-time. It is not possible to exchange if there is planned absence that does not qualify for holiday pay.

Does the exchange mean you get three extra annual leave days?

No, these days are not considered annual leave days but are days off that are managed separately. The days can only be taken after all the current year's annual leave days have been used.

Should an individual agreement on annual leave exchange be documented in the personnel plan?

In cases where teachers enter into an agreement to exchange, the annual working time needs to be adjusted for the year the agreement applies. The agreement corresponds to 24 hours by which the annual working time should be reduced. Note that the teacher needs to apply for the three days off in Primula when they are to be taken. The three days are not included in the annual leave days allocated as standard annual leave. All the year's annual leave needs to be taken before these three days can be used.

Is there an opportunity for "another individual agreement on annual leave exchange" within LU?

There is no such opportunity at present.

What is meant by it being impossible to take one or more of the days off due to special reasons?

This refers to unforeseen events, either operational reasons or personal reasons, that could not be anticipated when the agreement was signed. When the agreement is signed, the assumption must always be that all days can be taken as leave during the year.

Content:

• Law, regulation, or collective agreement
• Leave ordinance
• Leave regulations in the public sector
• Paid leave

The Swedish labour market has extensive regulations for various types of leave. Additionally, there are specific provisions for the public sector.

Normally, it is you as the manager, in consultation with the nearest HR partner, who decides whether an employee should be granted leave or not.

Law, regulation, or collective agreement

In some cases, law, regulation, or collective agreement grants an employee the right to leave, which means you cannot deny the employee leave if the conditions for the leave are met.

Leave ordinance

In other cases, leave is possible provided you assess that the leave can be granted. You then weigh the operational interest of having the employee in service against the employee's interest in obtaining the desired leave.

Such an assessment is made, for example, for leaves that are considered under the Leave Ordinance. When processing an application, it is important as an employer at an authority to be consistent based on the principle of equal treatment in the Constitution (Chapter 1, Section 9 RF).

Inform the local employee organisation

When deciding on leave supported by the Leave Ordinance, the employer must inform the local employee organisation about the intended decision before the decision is made.

The local employee organisation has the right to request negotiations about the intended decision within five working days, according to the conditions agreements. These provisions replace the employer's obligation under the MBL.

Leave regulations in the public sector

To support the handling of leave cases, the HR section has developed a quick guide that provides an overview of the most common leave regulations in the public sector. However, the overview is not comprehensive, and in some cases, additional support from your nearest HR function may be needed, for example, before deciding to reject an application or if it is relevant to interrupt a leave.

The overview is available for download in the right-hand column of the page.

For more detailed information, refer to the regulations governing each type of leave and to the publications by the Swedish Agency for Government Employers on leave.

The guidance from the Swedish Agency for Government Employers is available for download in the right-hand column of the page.

Paid leave

As shown in the overview of the most common leave regulations, some leaves can be granted with pay.

Paid leave for medical and dental appointments, leave in connection with the serious illness and death of a close relative, during relocation, and certain union representative duties are regulated in our central collective agreements (Chapter 9, Sections 1-2 of the conditions agreements).

These leaves can be granted provided the conditions for the leave and the right to retained pay are met.

Read more about the conditions for these leaves in the university's guidelines, which can be downloaded in the right-hand column of the page.

Content: 

• URA or business travel?
• Accompanying family
• URA insurance
• Before drawing up a URA contract

Employees who will be working abroad for a long period of time are officially deemed to be on international secondment and given an overseas contract (URA). 

URA or business travel?

Whether the posting is to be considered as an expatriation under the URA or as a mission abroad depends on the nature of the assignment, the conditions at the place of posting and the employee's situation.

If the employee will stay in a hotel and have meals in a restaurant, it will normally be considered a mission. If, on the other hand, the employee will live ‘as he/she does at home’, i.e. stay in an apartment or house, do the shopping and preparation of food himself/herself, etc.

It is the employer (head of department or equivalent in consultation with the HR function) who makes the assessment and decides which form is appropriate in the individual case.

You, as the manager, agree with the employee what the contract should include, for example accompanying family, and any additional costs.

Once you have reached an agreement, contact the HR department, which will draw up an expatriation contract and take out URA insurance. 

Download a form (in Swedish) for this purpose on the Forms and templates page

Read more about drawing up a contract further down this page.

Must be socially insured and registered in Sweden

A person who is posted abroad by a Swedish authority is considered to be resident in Sweden and is covered by Swedish social insurance, which means that they retain sickness benefit, parental benefit and child benefit. Employees posted abroad must therefore be covered by social insurance and registered in Sweden.

Accompanying family

An employee can bring his/her family with him/her during his/her posting abroad if he/she is posted abroad for more than 1 year. In this case, the family is also covered by the posting abroad and retains all benefits in Sweden, which means, for example, that the family remains in the Swedish social insurance scheme.

URA-insurance

In connection with the signing of the contract, a URA insurance policy is taken out for the entire stay abroad for the employee and any accompanying persons. This insurance is compulsory and is taken out by the HR section. It is also possible to take out additional property insurance.

Make sure you are well informed, at least one month before departure. A prerequisite for the employee and any accompanying persons to be insured is that the expatriation contract is finalised and the URA insurance taken out before departure. URA insurance cannot be taken out retroactively.

Before drawing up a URA contract

Before an employee travels, a URA contract must be drawn up between Lund University and the employee, stating the terms and conditions that apply throughout the period of service abroad. Examples of this may be compensation for additional costs, housing costs, compensation for moving and travelling, etc.

There is a form with an annex that gives guidance on the rules that apply and the preparations that need to be made before a contract is signed. The completed form should be sent to the HR Division. 

Download the form (in Swedish) on the Forms and templates page