The State Job Transition Agreement

The State Sector Job Transition Agreement covers both fixed-term contract and permanent employees. The Job Security Foundation (Trygghetsstiftelsen) administrates, designs support processes and provides financial support. Criteria governing qualifying periods for eligibility and the right to support vary depending on your form of employment.

The agreement applies to you if you are employed by:

• a state-sector higher education institution or a state agency in Sweden,
• Jönköping University, Chalmers University of Technology and certain other non-governmental organisations that are members of the Swedish Agency for Government Employers.

If you work for another employer, there may be an equivalent agreement with other terms and conditions.

Transition support is the measures you are entitled to if you are made redundant or if your fixed-term contract expires. Support may consist of help from the Job Security Foundation to find a new job or set up your own company, for example, or individualised measures in the form of training and education. It may also include topping up of your unemployment benefit to the level of approximately 80% of your salary or topping up of your salary if you take a new job with a lower salary.

From 1 October 2022, there is also an option to receive a new form of job transition support from the Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN). This can be granted both during and after employment if you fulfil certain criteria. You can use this support for further education. For more information, see tsn.se (in Swedish).

From 1 October 2022, a new basic protection is available if you have been employed for at least one year at the same employer. For more information, see www.tsn.se. This support is available both during and after employment

The Job Transition Agreement in brief

The Job Transition Agreement applies to employees who have been made redundant and to employees whose fixed-term contracts have expired. Qualifying periods and forms and levels of support vary. Here is a brief summary of what applies in each case.

The term employer here refers to the functional employer. (See below for clarification).

If you are made redundant

• The qualifying period for eligibility is one year of employment at the employer.
• The Agreement gives an extended period of notice.
• Individual support from the Job Security Foundation with the aim of finding a new job or starting your own company is provided. The support is available during your notice period and subsequently for up to five years.
• Financial supplement to your unemployment benefit, totalling up to approximately 80% of your previous income during the entire unemployment benefit period.
• Financial compensation for up to three years if you take a new job with a lower salary.
• After an individual assessment, there are special pension benefits, (early retirement), available from the age of 62 if you are made redundant after a certain age or after seven years of employment at the employer.

If your fixed-term contract expires

In order to be covered by the Agreement, you need to fulfil the qualifying period requirement. Your benefits depend on how long you have been in fixed-term employment at the employer.

An overview of different forms of support from the Job Security Foundation when a fixed-term contract expires*

*If you have been employed by the same employer for at least two years and your employment ends on or after 1 October 2022, you will receive the same support as those who have been employed for at least three years.

If your employment ends after two years of fixed-term employment*

Qualifying period: At least two years of fixed-term employment with the same employer. The employment period must be continuous, although a break of up to eight working days is permitted.
Benefits: Support for transition through the Job Security Foundation for the equivalent of six days, as well as a planning dialogue and one follow-up dialogue. Some of this support may take place during the final month of employment, (during paid working hours).

*If your employment ends on or after 1 October 2022, you will receive the same support as those who have been employed for at least three years - see below.

If your employment ends after three years of fixed-term employment*

Qualifying period: At least three years of fixed-term employment with the same employer. The employment period must be continuous, although a break of up to eight working days is permitted.
Benefits: Support for transition through the Job Security Foundation in the form of a planning dialogue and one follow-up dialogue, as well as expanded individual support from the Foundation. Some of this support may take place during the final month of employment, (during paid working hours). In addition, limited financial support, (44 benefit days, which is equivalent to two months’ full-time unemployment), during the period you receive unemployment benefit. These provisions also apply in full to employees with educational employment, i.e. doctoral candidate positions.

*If your employment ends on or after 1 October 2022, it is sufficient if you have been employed by the same employer for at least two years.

If your employment ends after six years of fixed-term employment

Qualifying period: a total six years of fixed-term employment within a period of seven years with the same employer. In order to qualify for support, an initial period of continuous employment of at least three years is required, though a break of up to eight working days during this period is permitted, followed by at least three years within a four-year period. Please note that employment as a doctoral candidate may not be included in this qualifying period.
Benefits: support for transition through the Job Security Foundation in the form of a planning dialogue and one follow-up dialogue, as well as expanded individual support from the Foundation. Some of this support may take place during the final month of employment, (during paid working hours). Financial support in the form of supplementary unemployment compensation during an entire unemployment insurance period or financial compensation if you take a new job with lower pay at approximately the same level as other employees who were made redundant.

Other important details in the Job Transition Agreement

• The agreement is valid until the age of 69 or any higher age that applies in the future for the right to remain in employment as stated in the Employment Protection Act. However, financial benefits cannot be paid to individuals aged 65 or over, with the exception of supplementary social security benefits, which can be paid until the age of 66, as individuals may now be a member of an employment insurance fund and receive unemployment benefits until that age.
• Your functional employer is the employer that you work for when your employment ends, (e.g. a specific higher education institution). In certain cases, it possible to include employment at another state sector employer in the qualifying period, for example if you go straight from one permanent position to another.
• In the Agreement, the term “educational employment” refers to employment as a doctoral candidate. The new Agreement distinguishes between employment as a doctoral candidate and other fixed-term contract employees, and this affects how the qualifying period is calculated in some cases.