Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2009, publiée 99ème session CIT (2010)

Convention (n° 175) sur le travail à temps partiel, 1994 - Suède (Ratification: 2002)

Article 8, paragraph 1(a), of the Convention. Exclusion from social security schemes. Further to its previous comment, the Committee notes the Government’s explanations that the employment injury benefit is income-related and therefore it is the income and not the working hours that is taken into account. More concretely, the minimum qualifying yearly income is 24 per cent of the base amount which corresponds to an income of 825 Swedish kroner (SEK) per month (approximately €88). While noting these explanations, the Committee understands that some part-time workers might still be deprived of employment injury coverage, which would be inconsistent with this Article of the Convention. It therefore requests the Government to take the necessary measures in order to bring the national legislation into full conformity with the Convention in this regard.

Article 8, paragraphs 3 and 4. Thresholds for exclusion from social security schemes. Further to its previous comment, the Committee notes that, according to the statistical information contained in the Government’s report, as of 2007, there were 1,017,900 part-time workers, including 213,000 persons working less than 19 hours per week and therefore excluded from the coverage of the unemployment insurance scheme. It also notes the Government’s indication that the thresholds for unemployment insurance coverage, as originally established in 1973 and subsequently revised in 2007, had always been the subject of consultations with the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations. It further notes the information that at present no consideration is given to the possibility of extending the scope of the unemployment insurance to those part-time workers who are currently excluded. The Committee requests the Government to keep the Office informed of any future developments in this respect.

Articles 9 and 10 and Part V of the report form. Access to part-time work. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that as part of its effort to reduce the amount of involuntary part-time employment, which particularly affects women (it is estimated that among the 200,000 workers who are part-time unemployed, at least 75 per cent are women), new rules entered into force on 7 August 2008, limiting the number of days during which a part-time worker can receive unemployment benefit from 150 to 75. In this connection, the Committee notes the observation made by the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, the Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees and the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations, according to which the abovementioned reform places all the responsibility and cost of part-time unemployment on the individual worker, while it should be the employers’ responsibility to offer full-time jobs to those who wish to have access to full-time employment. The Committee would be interested in receiving the Government’s views in response to the comments made by the trade union organizations. The Government is also requested to provide full particulars on the implementation of the new rules and the results obtained so far and to keep the Office informed of any new initiatives aimed at preventing workers from being trapped in part-time employment.

Article 11. Implementation of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s reference to section 5 of the General Provisions Collective Agreement which applies to municipal and county employees and which provides that when additional manpower is needed, and before new workers are hired, the possibility should be explored of offering additional work to existing employees at the workplace who have expressed interest to that end. As this document was not appended to the Government’s report, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide a copy.

Part V of the report form. Application in practice. The Committee would appreciate receiving up to date information concerning the application of the Convention in practice, including, for instance, statistics on the number of part-time workers – broken down by gender and age – extracts from labour inspection reports containing the number and nature of infringements observed and the penalties imposed, copies of recent surveys or studies relating to part-time employment issues, etc.