Notice of employment vacancy

State sector

Requirements regarding information on vacant positions

A state higher education institution that intends to employ must issue notice so that anyone who is interested in applying for the job can do so within a certain time. This is stated in Section 6 of the Employment Ordinance. The primary rule is that a state education institution must issue information about vacancies. What this requirement regarding information on vacancies means in practice is not specified in the Employment Ordinance, so it is up to each institution to determine what is the best way to reach those who might be suitable for and interested in the position with the information, for example through an advertisement in the daily press, trade press or on external website. It is also reasonable to expect that information about the vacancy be posted on the university's notice board and published on the university's website.

Only if there are special reasons not to follow such a procedure does the obligation to inform about vacant positions not apply, (Section 6, paragraph 3, of the Employment Ordinance). Such exceptions include situations where an employee is redeployed to a vacant position in accordance with Section 7, paragraph 2 of the Employment Act (LAS) or when someone has a preferential right to re-employment.

Each state education institution must also have an employment procedure (Chapter 2, Section 2, Section of the Higher Education Ordinance). This employment procedure is to contain the rules applied by the institution for the employment and promotion of teachers. An employment procedure often includes a description of how the institution proposes to fulfil the requirement regarding information on vacant positions.

Notification to the Employment Service

When a state agency/higher education institution advertises a vacant position externally or takes other action to recruit for a vacant position outside the agency, it must simultaneously notify the Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) in accordance with Section 2 of the Ordinance on Notification of Employment Vacancies in the State Sector(1984: 819). However, notification to the Employment Service is not required if the agency/institution intends to employ a person who has been made redundant from a previous position in the state sector or who is occupationally disabled. Also, the Employment Service may grant exemptions from the duty to notify if there are special reasons for doing so.

Private sector

In the private sector, there is no obligation either to inform about vacancies or to report vacancies to the Employment Service. However, there may be employment procedures, policies or other rules within the organisation that the employer is obliged to follow. For example, this could be how advertising or recruitment to a new position is to be conducted.