What happens if you get sick?
The page was last modified:Here you will find information broken down by business types, on rules that apply to business owners and what will happen if you get sick due to the coronavirus.
Extension of temporary social security measures
The government has decided to grant extensions for benefits including sickness compensation, which means that:
- The qualifying period for compensation is being extended up to and including 28 February 2021.
- Compensation for the self-employed for the first 14 qualifying days is being extended up to and including 28 February 2021.
- Compensation for employers for their sick pay expenses above what is normal is being extended up to and including 28 February 2021.
- Deferred requirement of a doctor's certificate from the 8th to the 15th day of the period of illness is being extended up to and including 30 April 2021. In addition, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency has decided that a doctor's certificate is not required until day 22 when applying for sickness benefit. The Swedish Social Insurance Agency's decision applies up to and including 31 January 2021.
More information is available from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (in Swedish)
Sole trader and trading partnership/Limited partnership
- The qualifying deduction for sick pay is temporarily abolished
- Doctor's certificate after more than 14 sick days
- Benefit if you belong to an at-risk group
- Quarantine allowance
Limited company
- Reimbursments for sick pay costs
- The qualifying deduction for sick pay is temporarily abolished
- Doctor's certificate after more than 14 sick days
- Benefit if you belong to an at-risk group
- Quarantine allowance
Sole trader and trading partnership/Limited partnership
The qualifying deduction for sick pay is temporarily abolished
Sole traders, trading partnerships/limited partnerships with waiting days or waiting time at the beginning of the sick period apply for compensation for the waiting days or waiting time. You receive compensation of SEK 804 per day. The Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) pays the compensation in the form of sickness benefit for up to 14 days. After those 14 days the usual rules for sick pay apply.
The Social Insurance Agency has an e-service on its website where you can apply for compensation.
Go the the e-service on The Social Insurance Agency's website (in Swedish)
Doctor's certificate after more than 14 sick days
Sole traders have to submit a doctor's certificate to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) after a sick leave for more than 14 days.
More information about corona at The Social Insurance Agency
Benefit if you belong to an at-risk group
If you belong to an at-risk group and must refrain from working to avoid the risk to be infected by covid-19 you can apply for benefit from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). You can apply for the benefit retroactively for the period 1 July 2020. The benefit is calculated from a flat amount and you can receive a maximum of 804 SEK per day for a maximum of 90 days.
Quarantine allowance
A doctor may decide that you are not allowed to work because you are – or may be – infected with a socially dangerous disease, such as the coronavirus. You may then be entitled to compensation in the form of a quarantine allowance.
This applies for sole traders concerning quarantine allowance at the Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Limited company
Entrepreneurs who run a limited company are counted as employees of their own company. Therefore the following rules apply to you:
The state covers costs for sick pay
If you get sick you will receive reimbursement for sick pay costs that you have reported in your employer declaration. From April to July you will receive full reimbursement. A different calculation applies for the accounting period August–September, and the cost of sick pay is reimbursed according to different percentages, depending on the costs the you as an employer have had. You pay sick pay as normal and the reimbursement will be paid to your tax account.
Doctor's certificate after more than 14 sick days (limited company)
You have to submit a doctor's certificate to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) after a sick leave for more than 14 days.
More information about corona at The Social Insurance Agency
The requirement for a doctor’s certificate is temporarily abolished
If you have reported sick on 13 March or later you do not need to have a doctor’s certificate until after you have been sick for 21 days (compared to previously 8 days for reporting to your company and 14 days reporting to the Swedish Social Insurance Agnecy). This means that the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) will be able to pay sickness benefit without doctor’s certificate for the first 21 days of a sick period.
Benefit if you belong to an at-risk group
If you belong to an at-risk group and must refrain from working to avoid the risk to be infected by covid-19 you can apply for benefit from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). You can apply for the benefit retroactively for the period 1 July 2020. The benefit is calculated from a flat amount and you can receive a maximum of 804 SEK per day for a maximum of 90 days.
You do not have to report sick if you are applying for the benefit.
Quarantine allowance
A doctor may decide that you are not allowed to work because you are – or may be – infected with a socially dangerous disease, such as the coronavirus. You may then be entitled to compensation in the form of a quarantine allowance.
Responsible: Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth