The starting point for compensation from the unemployment fund is the compensation-based income. A full month of unemployment compensation corresponds to 22 compensation days, and a maximum of 5 days per week can be deducted. To calculate the daily compensation amount, the compensation-based income should be divided by 22.
Reduction due to income from work
If you have earned income from work, the compensation must be reduced based on the percentage of income loss during the month. The determined monthly income is the starting point and is compared to what you earned in the reporting month.
Compensation-based income (ersättningsgrundande inkomst), determined monthly income (fastställd månadsinkomst), and compensation level (ersättningsnivå) are stated in the decision from us.
Example
Here we use Märta as an example
Before becoming unemployed, Märta earned an average of 35,000 SEK per month (determined monthly income). She therefore has the highest possible compensation-based income, 34,000 SEK. She also has the highest possible compensation level: 80 percent. At most, Märta can receive 27,200 SEK before tax (34,000 SEK x 80%).
Calculating percentage income loss: Märta’s determined monthly income is 35,000 SEK. In the reporting month, Märta earned 3,500 SEK, which is 10 percent of her previous income; her income loss is therefore 90 percent.
Calculating compensation after reduction: If Märta had been 100 percent unemployed, she would have received 27,200 SEK in unemployment compensation. But now her income loss is 90 percent, and she therefore receives 90 percent of 27,200 SEK, which equals 24,480 SEK before tax from the unemployment fund.
The compensation-based income and the determined monthly income are stated in the decision from us.
Reduction if you were unable to accept work (hindrance)
If there were days during the month when you were unable to search for or accept work, the compensation must be reduced. For example, if you were sick for one day, the payment from the unemployment fund is reduced by the value of one compensation day. 1 day = compensation-based income / 22.
If you were on temporary parental leave (VAB) for half a day, the payment is reduced by the value of half a day. The amount you received from Försäkringskassan per day does not affect the reduction from the unemployment fund. We calculate based on the value of a compensation day from the unemployment fund. 1/2 day = compensation-based income / 22 × 0.5.
Example
Here we use Martin as an example Martin has a compensation-based income of 34,000 SEK. He has been on temporary parental leave (VAB) for 1.5 days, which means the compensation must be reduced by the equivalent of 1.5 compensation days.
Calculate the value of one day with hindrance: Divide the compensation-based income by 22. For Martin, this is 34,000 SEK / 22 days = 1,546 SEK/day.
Calculate total reduction amount: Martin was unable to work for 1.5 days. His compensation must be reduced by 1.5 × 1,546 SEK = 2,319 SEK.
Calculate the amount to be paid: Compensation-based income minus total reduction amount: 34,000 – 2,319 = 31,681 SEK. Martin’s compensation level is 80%, so he receives 31,681 × 80% = 25,345 SEK before tax in unemployment compensation.
Reduction in days
The unemployment fund is a monthly insurance. When compensation is paid out for one month, a corresponding number of days is deducted from the compensation period. A compensation period can be 300, 200, 100, or 66 days depending on your entitlement. The length of the period is determined by how many months during the qualification period you earned 11,000 SEK or more.
22 days per month
Once the unemployment fund has calculated the compensation to be paid for a month, the next step is to determine how many compensation days should be deducted from the compensation period.
A full month is counted as 22 compensation days, and the total number of days to be deducted from the period is always rounded to the nearest whole day.
Same percentage for reduction of compensation and days
The same percentage used to calculate the reduction of monthly compensation must be applied to determine the number of days to be deducted from the compensation period.
Rounding example
If the income loss is 85 percent, 19 days should be deducted from the compensation period. (85% × 22 days = 18.7 days, rounded up to 19 days).
If the income loss is 50 percent, 11 days should be deducted. (50% × 22 days = 11 days).
If the income loss is 20 percent, 4 days should be deducted. (20% × 22 days = 4.4, rounded down to 4).