Acts and regulations about work environment
In the Swedish Work Environment Act there are general demands which apply regarding the environment at work. Another important act, the Working Hours Act, describes how much you may work per day and to which extent you have the right to breaks and recesses at work.
The aim of the Work Environment Act is to prevent ill health and accidents at work and to create a good work environment. It states, for example, that the employer has the ultimate responsibility for the work environment and should lead the work towards a better work environment.
Read the Work Environment Act at the Government of Sweden's website, in English, opens in new window
In the Working Hours Act you can read about how much you are allowed to work per day, per week and per year, and to which extent you have the right to pauses, recesses or meal breaks.
Read the Working Hours Act at the Government of Sweden's website, in English, opens in new window
Your conditions at work can also be regulated in a collective agreement, which is an agreement between the employer and the trade union. If there is no collective agreement at your workplace, only the laws apply. The laws are decided by the Swedish Riksdag.
Rules on posting
More detailed regulations about work environment
The Swedish Work Environment Authority is the authority that has been tasked by the government to, in more detail, decide what is applicable for the work environment. We therefore issue provisions which detail what applies for the work environment, for example for noise, dangerous substances, working alone and the design of the workplace.
Last updated 2023-10-16