Work injury insurance
[Arbetsskadeförsäkring]
Information for employers
[Information till dig som är arbetsgivare]
An employee who is injured at the workplace or on the way to or from work can obtain compensation from work injury insurance. This insurance covers all those in gainful employment – employees, contractors and the self-employed.
The employee can obtain compensation through work injury insurance
[arbetsskadeförsäkringen] for certain costs which he or she has had due to a work
injury. Compensation can also be paid for loss of earnings. If the employee is on sick leave due to the injury, sickness benefit [sjukpenning] is paid in accordance with the same rules as apply to other illness.
Reporting a work injury
[Anmälan om arbetsskada]
A person affected by a work injury shall report it immediately to their employer. The employer shall in turn report the injury to Försäkringskassan [The Swedish Social
Insurance Agency] and the safety representative at the workplace. A copy of the report
to Försäkringskassan should be given to the safety representative.
An employer shall also contact the Swedish Work Environment Authority
[Arbetsmiljöverket] directly if the accident or other harmful effect of work has led to
death or serious injury. The same applies if the work injury has affected a number of employees and if an accident has involved serious danger for life and health.
What counts as a work injury?
[Vad räknas som en arbetsskada?]
A work injury is an injury or illness caused by an accident or in another way by work.
Accidents
[Olycksfall]
An accident is an injury that has occurred in connection with a special event. The event should be of short duration, unusual and not anticipated. If an employee is injured on the way to or from work, you should report this as a transport accident.
Occupational illness
[Arbetssjukdom]
When something in the work environment has a negative effect on physical and mental health, it can cause an occupational illness. Examples of harmful factors at work which can lead to occupational illnesses are
heavy or monotonous work
vibrations or shaking
noise
various chemical substances
work conditions that cause mental strain.
Mental or psychosomatic illnesses are not considered as work injuries if they are due to
company closure
insufficient appreciation of work performance
dissatisfaction with work or work colleagues.
Infection
[Smitta]
Some contagious diseases are regarded as work injuries. These include, for example, jaundice and nosocomial illness. The insurance applies for a person who has become infected
when working in health care
in other work with treatment, care or taking care of a contagious person
during work with animals or infected material
in accidents at work
during work at a laboratory.
Work injury or not?
[Arbetsskada eller inte?]
When a person affected by a work injury requests compensation from work injury insurance, Försäkringskassan carries out an investigation. Försäkringskassan makes an overall assessment to be able to take a position on whether an injury is to be classified as a work injury or not. In this assessment, we take into consideration reasons for and against it being a work injury. If we conclude that most indications point to the injury being caused by an accident or other harmful effect of work, compensation can be paid from work injury insurance.
There must be a medical opinion with a detailed description of the illness or injury, its origin and cause and how it affects the employee’s work capacity. Försäkringskassan also has a medical insurance adviser, who assists in medical matters and in contacts with other doctors. His or her task is not to decide on entitlement to compensation
What compensation can be paid?
[Vilka ersättningar kan betalas ut?]
Annuity
[Livränta]
Annuity can be paid to an employee who has incurred a work injury if his or her ability to earn income has been reduced by at least 1/15. The annual reduction of income must be at least SEK 10,600 (a quarter of the price base amount1
[prisbasbeloppet]). The annuity shall cover the reduction up to SEK 318,000 (7.5
price base amounts). Annuity can be paid
during vocational rehabilitation [arbetslivsinriktad rehabilitering] (education or retraining)
redeployment or changing to other work with lower income.
when the ability to earn income through work has been permanently reduced or can be assumed to be reduced for at least one year.
An annuity may be paid for a limited period or until further notice. When
Försäkringskassan calculates the annuity, we compare the income the employee had before the injury with the income the employee is expected to receive after the injury. The annuity is the difference between the two incomes.
Special work injury allowance
[Särskild arbetsskadeersättning]
The special work injury allowance automatically covers the costs of two waiting periods. If the employee has had loss of income for more than two waiting periods, he or she can apply for allowance for these days as well.
Medical treatment abroad
[Sjukvård utomlands]
The employee can obtain compensation if he or she is injured during work abroad and must obtain treatment there. The employee can also obtain compensation if he or she needs treatment when abroad due to an earlier work injury.
The price base amount is based on the development of prices in Sweden. The price base amount is SEK 42,400 in 2010.
Dental treatment
[Tandvård]
Compensation can be paid if the employee incurs costs for dental treatment due to a work injury. This is conditional on the dentist working for the Swedish Public Dental Service [folktandvården] or being included in Försäkringskassan’s list of dentists.
Special aids
[Särskilda hjälpmedel]
The insurance can defray the costs if the employee needs a special aid to work. The aid shall replace lost physical functions and be needed for activities of daily life.
Annuity for survivors and funeral assistance
[Livränta till efterlevande och begravningshjälp]
Please consult the Swedish Pensions Agency [Pensionsmyndigheten] if you have questions about annuity for survivors and funeral grants [ begravningshjälp]. You can visit the Pensions Agency’s website www.pensionsmyndigheten.se or phone
0771-776 776.
Older injuries and rules
[Äldre skador och regler]
Older regulations apply for all injuries that occurred before 1 July 2002.
Further information
[Mer information]
This fact sheet is not a legal text on the subject. For further information, contact:
Försäkringskassan’s customer centre for partners [kundcenter för partners]
Telephone: 0771-17 90 00 Fax: 0532-714 90
E-mail: kundcenterpartner@forsakringskassan.se
