Termination of employment in Sweden: your rights when you are let go

Being told your job is ending is stressful, and the first few days matter more than most people realise. Swedish employment protection is strong, but it only helps you if you act within some very short deadlines. This guide explains how termination works under the Employment Protection Act (lagen om anställningsskydd, LAS), what your employer must do, and what you should do — and avoid doing — right away.

The ways an employment can end

LAS covers most employees in Sweden, in both the private and public sector. Some groups are excluded, for example employees in a senior management position, family members of the employer and people working in the employer's household.

Redundancy (arbetsbrist)

The employer decides how to run the business, and courts rarely question whether a redundancy is commercially wise. What is regulated is how it is carried out:

• Negotiation. An employer bound by a collective agreement must negotiate with the union before deciding on redundancies.
• Redeployment. The dismissal is not valid if the employer could reasonably have offered you other work.
• Order of selection (turordning). As a rule, "last in, first out" within each selection group, with longer total employment giving priority. Before the order is set, the employer may exempt up to three employees it considers especially important. You must have adequate qualifications for the work that remains.
• Right to re-employment (företrädesrätt). If you have worked there more than 12 months in total during the last three years, you have priority to be re-employed for nine months after your employment ends, if the employer needs to hire for work you are qualified for.

A common problem is a "redundancy" that is really about the person. If the employer removes your role and soon hires someone else to do the same work, or the selection order has been bent to get rid of you, there may be a claim.

Dismissal for personal reasons

Dismissal for personal reasons requires more than dissatisfaction. Typical grounds are repeated serious misconduct, refusing work, or serious cooperation problems. As a rule the employer must have made clear what the problem is, warned you, and given you a real chance to improve. Illness alone is generally not grounds for dismissal.

The employer must give you at least two weeks' advance notice that it is considering dismissing you, and inform your local union at the same time if you are a member. You and the union can then ask for consultation, and the employer cannot carry out the dismissal until that consultation has ended. The employer may not rely only on circumstances it has known about for more than two months.

Summary dismissal (avsked)

Summary dismissal ends the employment immediately, with no notice period and no pay after that day. It is only allowed if you have grossly breached your obligations to the employer — for example theft, violence, serious disloyalty or competing with the employer. The employer must give at least one week's advance notice, and may not rely only on circumstances known for more than two months. Because the consequences are so serious, courts look closely at whether summary dismissal was justified.

Formal requirements and notice periods

A dismissal must be in writing and state what you must do to challenge it, and whether you have a right to re-employment. If you ask, the employer must state the reasons for the dismissal — in writing, if you ask for that.

The minimum notice periods from your employer under LAS:

A collective agreement or your contract may give you longer notice. During the notice period you keep your salary and benefits, even if the employer tells you not to work. If you resign yourself, your own notice period is one month unless otherwise agreed.

Deadlines to challenge: act within two weeks

The deadlines in LAS are strict. If you miss them, you usually lose the right to challenge the dismissal.

Since the 2022 reform of LAS, the employment as a rule ends when the notice period runs out even if you challenge the dismissal, and you are without salary while the case is decided. If a dismissal is declared invalid you get your job back, and an employer who refuses to take you back must pay damages that can amount to up to 32 months' salary depending on your length of employment. You can also be awarded compensation for lost income and general damages for the violation.

If you are a union member, contact your union straight away — they can negotiate and often represent you. If you are not, a lawyer can handle the notification and negotiations for you.

Settlement agreements

Many employers offer a settlement (avgångsavtal) instead of a formal dismissal: a sum of money in exchange for you agreeing to leave and giving up any claims. It can be a good solution — but read it carefully before you sign:

• You usually waive all claims against the employer, including claims you have not thought of yet. A signed agreement is very hard to undo.
• It can affect your unemployment benefit (a-kassa), for example if it looks as if you left voluntarily. Check with your a-kassa first.
• Check how the money is paid and taxed, what happens to your pension contributions, bonus, holiday pay and references.
• The amount is often negotiable, especially if the employer's grounds are weak.

If your employer has a collective agreement you may also be entitled to transition support from a job security council, and you may be able to apply for transition study support (omställningsstudiestöd) to retrain.

If you have a work permit

For employees with a work permit, losing the job also affects the right to stay in Sweden. The change must be reported to Migrationsverket, and the permit can be revoked if you do not find a new job in time. The rules are complex and are currently being reviewed by the government, so do not wait: get advice as soon as you are given notice. Our free tool Kompass gives you a first overview of your migration situation.

What to do now

1. Do not sign anything on the spot — not a settlement, and not a statement that you resign.
2. Ask for the dismissal and the reasons in writing.
3. Write down the date you received the dismissal, and count two weeks forward.
4. Save emails, messages, your contract, payslips and any warnings.
5. Contact your union if you are a member, and register with your a-kassa and Arbetsförmedlingen in time.
6. If you have a work permit, get migration advice immediately.
7. Get a first assessment with our free tool Fair, or talk to a lawyer.

This article is general information about Swedish law as of Tuesday 15 September 2026. It is not legal advice for your specific situation — every family is different, so talk to a lawyer before you act.