Employed

You are considered unemployed only when your employment has actually ended – that is, when the notice period is over. If you are released from work duties during the notice period, you are still considered employed, and you can apply for benefits starting the day after your employment ends.

A dismissal means that you must leave your employment immediately, without a notice period.

• If you have been dismissed, apply for benefits right away. This is important so that your average income is not negatively affected.

• If you were dismissed due to inappropriate behavior – for example, repeated absence without valid reason or a crime directed at the employer – you may be suspended from a-kassan for 45 benefit days. The suspension is always lifted after 16 weeks (112 calendar days).

Are you resigning yourself? Here's what you need to know

You are entitled to benefits even if you resigned yourself – but you may be suspended for 45 benefit days if you do not have valid reasons. Examples of approved reasons include health problems certified by a doctor or being subjected to harassment in the workplace. More examples can be found here

• If you are suspended, it may affect your right to income insurance through the union. Therefore, check what applies with your union.

• You must submit time reports as usual in Mina sidor during the entire suspension period. After the 45 days, the benefit period begins with 2 qualifying days, just like for everyone else. In total, it therefore takes about two months before you receive your first payment.

For the days to be counted, you must:

• be unemployed, registered with Arbetsförmedlingen, and actively looking for work, or

• work at least 3 hours per day.

Note that vacation days do not count – if you take time off, the suspension period is postponed.

Always apply for benefits immediately when your employment ends to avoid reduced benefits. After 16 weeks (112 calendar days), the suspension is lifted regardless of the reason.

A-kassa applies in cases of involuntary unemployment

To be entitled to benefits from a-kassa, the unemployment must be involuntary. This means that you must not have chosen to reduce your working hours yourself.

• If you have resigned from part of your employment or voluntarily reduced your hours, you are not considered unemployed and therefore cannot receive benefits.

• However, if you have been partially laid off, you may be entitled to benefits for the lost working hours. In that case, we compare the average number of hours worked per week before the change with how much you are working now.

If you become unemployed after a bankruptcy

If you become unemployed due to bankruptcy, you must register with Arbetsförmedlingen immediately the day after your right to state wage guarantee has ended. From that day on, you are considered unemployed in the eyes of a-kassan.

Even if you are entitled to a longer notice period than what the wage guarantee covers (according to the Employment Protection Act (LAS), it is the wage guarantee period that applies. The period covered by the wage guarantee is stated in the decision you receive from the bankruptcy trustee or the County Administrative Board.

Dismissed for personal reasons

If you have been dismissed for personal reasons, you may be suspended from benefits for 45 days. In order for us to assess your case, we need the following:

• Employer certificate

• Information on whether reassignment was offered or not (there is no specific certificate for this)

• Reason for the dismissal

If it is revealed that you behaved inappropriately – for example, theft or arriving at work under the influence – you risk being suspended from benefits.

Probationary employment and a-kassa

A probationary employment is a permanent position that can be terminated early during the trial period.

• If you choose to end the probationary employment yourself, it is considered a voluntary resignation. In that case, you may be suspended from benefits for 45 days – unless you have valid reasons.

• If the employer ends the probationary employment, you are entitled to two weeks’ notice. This is considered a dismissal by the employer and does not lead to any suspension from benefits.

When your fixed-term employment ends

If you have had a fixed-term employment, you must register with Arbetsförmedlingen on the first weekday after the employment has ended.

No notice is required to end a fixed-term employment – it ends automatically on the date stated in the employment contract. In most cases, the employer cannot terminate the employment early.

Agreement and severance pay

If you have agreed with your employer to end your employment and receive severance pay, you are considered employed during the period that the severance pay covers. We calculate this period by dividing the severance pay by your average monthly income – during that time, you are not entitled to benefits from a-kassa.

Unsure how long the severance pay counts? Submit your application for benefits and we will investigate it for you.

Register with Arbetsförmedlingen

it is important that you register with Arbetsförmedlingen – even if you are sick or on parental leave – so that you maintain your sickness benefit qualifying income (SGI) with Försäkringskassan.

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