Best Hiring & Firing Lawyers in Norrköping

About Hiring & Firing Law in Norrköping, Sweden

Hiring and firing in Norrköping follows Swedish national labor law, supported by strong collective bargaining traditions and active local unions. Employers rely on written employment agreements, clear policies, and negotiations with unions for major workplace changes. Employees benefit from statutory protection against unfair dismissal, anti-discrimination rules, regulated working time and leave, and access to union support and transition services. While the legal framework is national, many workplaces in Norrköping are covered by collective agreements that add practical rules on pay, notice, redundancy support, and procedures.

Why You May Need a Lawyer

Employment law in Sweden is detailed and highly collective-agreement driven. A lawyer can help employers and employees in situations such as drafting compliant employment contracts, implementing or updating policies and handbooks, handling recruitment and background checks lawfully, managing sick leave and rehabilitation responsibilities, navigating probationary employment, restructuring or redundancies with correct order of selection, negotiating with unions under co-determination rules, handling discrimination or harassment complaints, protecting trade secrets and designing reasonable non-compete and non-solicit clauses, addressing performance or misconduct issues and documentation, managing data protection in HR processes, dealing with work permits and immigration effects of job changes, resolving disputes on wages, overtime, or benefits, and representing you in negotiations, mediation, or court.

Local Laws Overview

Key Swedish statutes apply in Norrköping. The Employment Protection Act sets rules for dismissal, redundancy, notice periods, probation, and fixed-term contracts. The Co-Determination in the Workplace Act requires information and negotiation with unions before significant changes like redundancies, outsourcing, or policy overhauls. The Discrimination Act bans discrimination and harassment in recruitment, employment, and termination on grounds such as sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation, and age, and it requires active measures to promote equal rights. The Work Environment Act imposes a duty to prevent ill health and accidents, with practical regulations enforced by the work environment authority. The Working Hours Act and Annual Leave Act regulate hours, overtime, rest, and vacation. The Sickness Pay Act sets employer obligations during initial sick leave. GDPR governs processing of candidate and employee personal data.

Important features often relevant in hiring and firing include objective legal grounds for termination based on redundancy or personal reasons, a duty to consider reassignment before dismissal, a last-in-first-out seniority principle adjusted by skills and collective agreement rules, and since reforms in 2022 a possibility for employers to exclude a limited number of key employees from seniority selection. Probationary employment is typically up to six months and requires clear agreement and early communication if it will not continue. Fixed-term rules were updated in 2022 with a new special fixed-term category that converts to permanent after more than 12 months within a rolling five-year period. Swedish law does not mandate general severance pay, but many collective agreements provide redundancy support and transition assistance. For collective redundancies, employers must consult unions and notify the Swedish Public Employment Service in advance when a threshold number of terminations is anticipated within a 90-day period. Public sector employment in Norrköping Municipality follows national public employment rules with some sector-specific requirements.

Disputes over a termination can proceed either through union channels directly to the national Labor Court or through the district court if the employee is not represented by a union, with the Labor Court as the final instance. Remedies can include general damages and economic compensation. For migrant workers, job changes and terminations can affect residence and work permits, so coordination with the migration authority is essential.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are valid reasons for dismissal in Sweden?

There are two main categories. Redundancy relates to the employer’s operational needs, such as reorganization or lack of work. Personal reasons relate to the individual employee, such as serious or repeated misconduct or persistent underperformance. The employer must show objective grounds, document issues, fulfill the duty to consider reassignment, and follow union negotiation obligations.

How does last-in-first-out work during redundancies?

Seniority is a key factor when selecting employees for redundancy, usually within each collective bargaining unit. Skills and qualifications required for the remaining roles matter, and employers must try to match employees to available work they can perform after reasonable training. Current rules allow employers to exclude a limited number of key employees from the seniority list before applying the order of selection, and collective agreements can refine the process.

Do I get severance pay if I am laid off?

Swedish law does not require general severance pay. However, many employees are covered by collective agreements that provide redundancy compensation and transition support through sectoral schemes. Your eligibility depends on the applicable collective agreement, your length of service, and the reason for termination.

What notice period applies?

LAS sets statutory notice periods that increase with length of service, starting at one month and up to six months after long service. Collective agreements can modify notice periods, and individual contracts can provide for longer periods but not shorter than the applicable minimum. Employees who resign often have shorter notice periods as set by agreement.

Can a fixed-term or probationary contract be ended early?

Probationary employment can be terminated by either party before it becomes permanent, but the employer should inform the employee in time and observe any agreed notice. Special fixed-term contracts end at the agreed time, but premature termination depends on what the contract or collective agreement allows. If the employee attains conversion thresholds, the employment becomes permanent.

What are the rules on non-compete clauses?

Non-compete clauses must be reasonable in time, geography, and subject matter, and they are generally used for employees with access to sensitive know-how. They often require compensation during the restricted period. Unreasonable restraints can be reduced or invalidated. Trade secrets are protected by law regardless of a non-compete.

How are discrimination and harassment handled in hiring and firing?

Employers may not discriminate during recruitment, employment, or termination on protected grounds. Recruitment ads, interview questions, tests, and selection must be objective and relevant. Employers must prevent and address harassment and can be liable for damages if they fail to act. Complaints can be raised internally, through unions, or to the Equality Ombudsman.

What must an employer do before dismissing for performance issues?

The employer should communicate expectations, provide feedback and support, offer reasonable training, and document performance gaps. If health is involved, the employer has a rehabilitation duty. Reassignment must be considered before dismissal. Sudden termination for performance without prior steps is rarely lawful.

What happens in a collective redundancy in Norrköping?

The employer must inform and negotiate with unions, prepare a selection list based on seniority and competence, consider reassignment, and notify the Public Employment Service if thresholds are met. There are advance notice and waiting requirements before issuing termination notices. Transition organizations connected to collective agreements often provide counseling, training, and job placement support.

How does a job loss affect my residence or work permit?

If you hold a Swedish work permit, a job change or termination can affect your right to stay. There are time limits to find new qualifying employment and obligations to notify authorities. Rules vary by permit type and can change, so you should contact the migration authority or a lawyer promptly.

Additional Resources

Swedish Public Employment Service in Norrköping for employer redundancy notifications and job seeker support. Swedish Work Environment Authority for health and safety obligations and guidance. Equality Ombudsman for discrimination issues and employer duties on active measures. Transition organizations connected to collective agreements, such as TRR or TSL, for redundancy support. Swedish Migration Agency for work and residence permit matters. Local trade unions and employer associations active in Norrköping, including sector unions like Unionen, IF Metall, and relevant employer federations. Norrköping Municipality for public sector employment policies and procedures.

Next Steps

Identify your situation and goals. Are you hiring, reorganizing, managing a performance issue, or responding to a notice of termination. Gather documents, including your employment contract, any collective agreement, policies, evaluations, warnings, medical certificates, and correspondence. Check which collective agreement applies, since it can change notice, redundancy, and benefits. For employers, plan and document every step, including union consultations, selection criteria, and reassignment efforts, and ensure compliance with data protection and discrimination rules during recruitment or termination. Seek early legal advice, especially before initiating redundancies, ending a probation, or dismissing for personal reasons. Coordinate with unions and transition bodies where applicable. If you need to escalate, consider negotiation, mediation, or formal proceedings. Note that strict time limits apply for contesting a notice of termination and claiming damages, so act promptly. For migrant workers and international hires, align employment actions with migration rules and notify authorities as required.