Make it easier to get a pension – work

Since 2007, the number of people receiving an annuity after being injured at work has fallen sharply.

In December 2021, Social Insurance Minister Ardalan Çikarabe (S) assigned the task of investigating state employees’ compensation insurance to Dan Holke, former chief legal officer of LO-TCO Rättskydd.

Yesterday, September 14, the results of the investigation were presented during a press meeting with the Minister of the Elderly and Social Security, Anna Tingji (M).

88 percent reduction

During the meeting, Dan Holke provided a description of how the development looks in terms of decisions about pensions. Since 2007, there has been an 88% decline – from just over 6,000 decisions to just under 900 last year.

– This is not what the outside world looks like, and both at the AFA and the Work Environment Agency, reported work injuries have increased rapidly, Dan Holke said during the press conference.

According to the investigation, the basic requirements for obtaining an annuity are very strict.

Current rules conflict with medical ethics

The investigation therefore proposes to abolish the so-called duration requirement, that is, reducing the ability to work for at least one year in the future. According to the proposal, it should instead be shortened to 180 days.

At the same time, the requirement that the loss of income must be at least one-fifth for an annuity to be granted has been removed.

It is difficult for doctors to predict how a disease will develop so far in the future, and it is somewhat inconsistent with medical ethics, says Dan Holke.

In order to avoid falling people with suspected work-related injuries, the investigator also proposes which means that the Social Insurance Service (Försäkringskassan) should always start the annual premium review on the 551st sick day.

The investigator also wants to raise the annual premium cap to approximately 46,000.

Minister: The insurance did not work

The idea is that the changes will come into effect in July 2024. But the question is whether there is a majority in the Riksdag in favor of the changes. The trade union Unionen expects workers’ compensation insurance to change now.

– Shortening the time period to 180 days is a welcome proposal and the union expects the government to implement it now, says Martin Linder, president of the union, in a comment to Arbetet.

Although it was the previous government that initiated the investigation, Social Security Minister Anna Tingey does not rule out changing the rules. She also believes the requirements were too harsh to begin with.

-The insurance did not work as intended. There is a reason why this investigation was conducted.