Post on 25-Dec-2015
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Work and Parenthood in Sweden
Ann-Zofie DuvanderStockholm University and
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Outline of presentation
• Parental insurance
• Child care
• New reforms
• Conclusion
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Parental Benefit
Introduced 1974
Goals:
• Combine family and working life
• Gender equality
• Children’s right to both parents
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Parental Insurance
• Pregnancy Benefit
• Parental Leave Benefit
• Temporary Parental Benefit
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Parental Leave Benefit
• 240 days for each parent – 480 per child
• 60 days non-transferable
• 390 days income related, 80%
• 90 days flat rate
• Time frame: 8 years
• Flexibility – full / part time
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Parental Benefit Days
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1974 1985 1996 2007
Men Women
Women (%)
Men (%)
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Why did you share the parental leave as you did? (percent)
Mothers Fathers
Mother’s wish to be home 27 14
Father’s wish to be home 1 6
We wished to share equal 3 4
Mother’s work 7 5
Father’s work 18 21
Economy 25 29
Others reasons 19 22
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Percent of all mothers receiving parental leave at the low flat rate (not earnings-related)
Mother’s country of birth Percent
Sweden 3,6
Nordic countries 6,2
EU 15 17,9
Europe outside EU 15 45,7
Africa 62,8
Asia 55,2
North America 33,8
South America 28,2
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Temporary Parental Benefit
• Introduced 1974
• Sick children 0-12 years
• 120 days
• Income related compensation
• 10 days – newborn
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Temporary parental benefit
• Average 6 days/year• Usually 2-3 years child• 60 or more days/year used for 0.2 % of the
children • 36 % days used by men • 77% new born babies had a father who used
”10 newborn days”
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Swedish day care
• Assistance for working parents
• Pedagogic activity
• Guaranteeing social conditions for children in marginalized groups
Expansion mainly in 1970-80s
Goal: All children should be offered place
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Childcare participation 2007by children’s age, percent of all children
0
20
40
60
80
100
1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Age at day care start and preference among parents to children born 1999
0
20
40
60
80
100
9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 39 47
child's age in months
Start
Preference
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
New reforms 1st of July 2008
• Gender Equality Bonus
• Child Home Care Allowance
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Development associated with the Swedish family policy
• High female labour force participation
• High male parental leave use
• High fertility
• Low child poverty
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
…but Swedish family policy may also lead to…
• Women’s disadvantage in the labour market
• Postponement of childbearing
• Marginalization
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Thank you for listening!
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Pregnancy benefit
• For women with physically hard work• Can be used 2 last months of
pregnancy• 20% of pregnant women use on
average 40 days• Many women use sick leave or parental
leave during pregnancy
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Ann-Zofie Duvander@socialagency.se
Parental Benefit Number of days
180210
270
360
450
480
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006
Children born from 1995 - 30 days can not be transferred to the other parent.Children born from 2002 - 60 days can not be transferred to the other parent.