The Swedish Work Environment Authority has banned Region Dalarna from allowing doctors to work more overtime than the law permits. The decision follows more than 1000 hours of unauthorized overtime logged over just over three months.
Between 23 January and 30 April, 75 to 80 doctors worked more overtime than permitted. One doctor exceeded 100 hours of overtime per month for more than one month, according to the Work Environment Authority investigation.
Lena Sundstedt, work environment inspector, states that many doctors worked over 50 hours of overtime per month, which violates the law. The chief safety representative had flagged risks of work-related ill health and demanded an end to the illegal overtime.
Region Dalarna is working to reduce overtime hours and plans a new routine in May. If operations cannot proceed without illegal overtime by autumn, the region risks a fine of one million kronor.
The decision takes effect immediately and caps extra overtime at 150 hours per doctor per year. Total overtime may not exceed 48 hours in four weeks or 50 hours in one month.
