Social partners agree improved occupational injury insurance scheme

In April 2001, the social partners in the Swedish private sector signed an agreement improving the terms of the collectively-agreed TFA work injury insurance scheme. Changes have also been made to two other insurance schemes based on collective agreements, those covering sickness and redundancy.

In April 2001, the central private sector social partner organisations signed a new agreement on the collective occupational injury insurance scheme (Trygghetsförsäkring vid arbetsskada, TFA). The parties were the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (Landsorganisationen, LO), the Federation of Salaried Employees in Industry and Services (Privattjänstemannakartellen, PTK) - grouping all private sector white-collar and university graduate trade unions - and the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Näringsliv) (formerly the Swedish Employers' Confederation (Svenska Arbetsgivareföreningen, SAF) - SE0105199N).

TFA is "a labour market no-fault liability insurance scheme for occupational injuries". The amended TFA agreement means that worker suffering accidents at work will now have full compensation for loss of income and, furthermore, the burden of proof will not fall on the injured employee - ie they will not have to prove that the employer caused the accident. The TFA scheme compensates for loss of income, additional costs, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, disability and injury. There are four types of occupational injuries covered under the scheme: accidents at work; travel accidents; occupational illnesses; and infection/contagion. An accident at work is regarded as one that takes place at the workplace and is connected with the work, which is also taken to include training ordered by the employer and business travel.

LO and the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise have also agreed upon changes to the collectively-agreed sick pay scheme (Avtalsgruppsjukförsäkring,AGS) and the collectively-agreed insurance scheme against job loss though, for example, redundancy (Avgångsbidragsförsäkring, AGB). The change in the AGS scheme affects employees who have become sick since 30 April 2001 and have been granted an early retirement pension (förtidspension) or temporary disability pension (sjukbidrag). The compensation level has been increased and is now at the same proportion of previous pay at all income levels, up to the same ceiling as applies in the state sick pay system. The ceiling for AGS benefit is now SEK 3,459 per month, compared with the previous SEK 2,880.

The change to the AGB redundancy insurance scheme means that periods of parental leave will now be included in the qualification period for calculating entitlement to AGB benefit. Those who have taken parental leave will have the same entitlement to benefit as all other employees.

TFA and the other collectively-agreed insurance schemes mentioned above are administrated by AFA (which changed its name from AMF on 1 January 2001). AFA is a company owned 50% by the employers and to 50% by the trade unions. AFA deals mainly with collectively-agreed insurance against redundancy, illness, death and work injuries. The basic statutory social insurance system is administered by the Social Insurance Office and encompasses all the various types of insurance for all citizens, including health insurance and occupational injury insurance (SE0105198N).