As of March 1, 2026, there are new opportunities for work trials while retaining sickness benefits – a tool that lowers the threshold for employees on 100 percent sick leave to safely test their ability to work. Here is what you as a manager or HR manager need to know.
Long-term sick leave is challenging – for the individual employee, for the team, and for the organization. Often, the uncertainty felt by the person on sick leave is a major obstacle: Am I capable of working? What happens if it doesn't work out? Will I lose my benefits if I try?
A work trial is an initiative that gives employees who have been granted full sickness benefits the opportunity to try working – without risking their benefits and with no performance requirements. It is a voluntary tool, based on an agreement between the employee and employer, whose sole purpose is to assess and clarify the employee's ability to work under safe conditions.
How the work try-out works in practice
The employee retains his or her full sickness benefit from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) throughout the period and receives no salary from the employer. This also means that the employer cannot demand performance – the employee is still on sick leave and is testing their ability, not their productivity.
"Employees who have been away from the workplace for a long time may need this exact opportunity to test things out without feeling that everything hinges on the result. It provides security, both for the employee and for the manager," says Anna Sporrong, Senior Rehabilitation Specialist at Falck.
Employees who have been away from the workplace for a long time may need exactly this opportunity.
Things to remember for a work trial
– Eligibility: Applies to employees who have been granted 100 percent sickness benefits. – Voluntary: A work trial is completely voluntary – neither party can force the other. – Duration: Always a maximum of 14 consecutive calendar days. – Frequency: A maximum of two periods per employee per 365 days, with at least 29 days in between. – Notification: Notify the Swedish Social Insurance Agency in writing no later than 14 days before the start. – Agreement: Both the employee and the employer must sign the agreement.
The importance of a purposeful and structured initiative
As an employer, you can manage a work trial on your own with your employee or in collaboration with your occupational health service. However, it is important that the initiative is well-structured and adapted to the employee's situation – otherwise, it risks not yielding the desired result.
A well-thought-out work trial has well-defined goals and clarity around tasks and scope, which are defined jointly. It is important that the manager and employee have regular check-ins, and when the 14 days are over, the initiative is followed up on together, the trial is summarized, and a joint plan is made for the next steps.
"What makes a difference is that all parties have a clear goal for the trial right from the start. What is it you want to find answers to? Once that is defined, both the employee and the manager know what to expect – and that creates the conditions for a good outcome, regardless of the result," says Anna.
Want to know more?
Do you want to know more about how work trials can fit into your rehabilitation process? Our rehab coordinators support in everything from planning, implementation and follow-up. Contact us and we will tell you more.
