From this autumn Karlstad municipality launches a two-year project allowing assistant nurses shorter workweeks if they work permanent weekends. The aim is to cut sick leave currently at nine percent.
The project means a group of assistant nurses will switch to permanent weekend shifts in exchange for extra days off or pay supplements. Malin Lund Gällström, assistant nurse at Stjärnhuset care home, sees benefits in longer periods of leave. The municipality wants to test the model after observing positive results elsewhere. Stefan Jonsson (S), chair of the care and welfare board, says the measure can help staff remain in their jobs. Sweden’s municipalities and regions, SKR, are critical and prefer to await central collective bargaining. Chief negotiator Jeanette Hedberg warns that local reductions risk leaving fewer employees to do more work.
