Försäkringskassan saves $300 million – cancels Christmas parties and cuts health care subsidies – Altinget

Försäkringskassan is in a difficult financial situation. It came last summer the message That the Authority notify up to 500 of its employees under probation. Another savings package is now being implemented.

Costs must be reduced by 300 million. About half of staff costs are set to be taken, but it remains unclear how many jobs will be affected.

We will not lay off anyone

Stefan Bloom

In the second half of the savings package, the number of consultants will be reduced, especially in the field of information technology. The wellness allowance for authority employees was also reduced from SEK 3,000 to SEK 2,000, fruit baskets were removed and employees had to do without Christmas dinner this year.

-It’s not something we really want to do. But every krone is important to protect the ability to provide a good service to the individual, says Stefan Blom, head of the authority’s administrative support and analysis department.

He sees a difficult year ahead of him.

– 2024 will be a difficult year. For everyone, both for employees and for all managers who are trying to do a good job and run the business as well as possible, he tells Altinget newspaper.

Services are left blank

The announcement of the discounts comes just two weeks before Christmas. However, no employee will lose their job this time.

– We will not expel anyone, says Stefan Blum.

Instead, the $150 million should be generated by leaving positions empty when employees resign, for example as a result of retirement. There is no general hiring freeze.

– If you were to use this tool directly, it would ultimately impact how we manage our core business. We don’t want that. We will take the opportunity to rehire where we are really needed.

It’s unfortunate that it has to come like this two weeks before Christmas

Stefan Bloom

Stefan Blom doesn’t think processing times are affected by the savings package, but he also doesn’t think they will be shorter.

The financial challenges facing the Authority are based on the challenges of unfunded reforms, the overall cost trend, and the fact that the Authority did not receive any significant budget additions.

– Ultimately, we are an authority that often undertakes to do things that are not originally within our jurisdiction, such as subsidizing electricity, for example. But if you get too thin, you won’t have the space, Bloom says.

– There we sense that there is concern that we cannot do everything that the government really wants to do.

reactions

According to Stefan Blom, since the budget statement, the authority has had long discussions about how to manage costs. The savings package, of around three percent, is believed to be a way to protect essential businesses.

– It took a month or two to complete this work. But it’s worth doing. It is unfortunate that this has to happen two weeks before Christmas.

The authority must have informed employees of the cuts. According to Stefan Blom, they understand the need to save.

– And then, of course, the feedback will be about what concerns the employees most closely. Any health benefits, fruit baskets and such issues that you think are unfair. But otherwise we will have fewer case managers, and we will need all of our case managers.