Swedish Government Sets Out New Measures to Cut Sickness Absence

By Euroline Observer

The Swedish government has announced new measures to improve health at work and cut sickness absence. It plans to increase employers' responsibility in this area and calls on the social partners to conclude new collective agreements on the work environment.

On 18 December 2003, the minority Social Democratic Party government, with the support of the Left Party and the Green Party, issued a declaration of intent on 'a more healthy working life'. It sets out a number of measures to combat ill health, aimed at reaching the goal, set in 2002, of halving the number of days of sickness absence by 2008. It provides for the introduction of a system of 'co-financing' of sick pay between employers and the state from 1 January 2005. Employers' financial responsibility should not, however, consist of passive co-financing and may be reduced if they engage in active measures.