Vacation Policies

Number of vacation days

The number of vacation days is determined by your age:

• Until and including the year you turn 29 years 28 days
• From the year you turn 30 years 31 days
• From the year you turn 40 years 35 days

Vacation days by quota

If you work an average of less than five days a week, more than one vacation day is used for each vacation day you take out. The vacation quota is calculated by dividing the number of full-time work days in the limitation period with the number of days you work during the same period.

Standard vacation

Doctoral students and staff that is part of a research group with mainly research and/or education-related tasks have a standard vacation, which means that it is assumed that all vacation days are taken out during the year. The vacation supplement are usually scheduled in the payroll system on two days, last Sunday in July and Christmas Day. If the employment is terminated earlier in the year, the holidays are scheduled on the last possible Sunday of the employment.  Employees with standard vacation should not apply for holidays in the PA web.

When taking parental leave for the majority of the year, the parental leave needs to be paused to take vacation. When applying for parental leave in the PA web, enter the vacation period in Message/Notes directly in the leave case. Then Payroll will allocate the vacation days during the specified period. This is to match your application for parental allowance with the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). 

If an employee with a standard vacation wants to save vacation days this needs to be planned together with their immediate superior. The department needs to be notified of how many days to save no later than the 31st of March, otherwise it is assumed that the vacation days has been taken out.

Saved vacation

Any employee who is entitled to more than 20 paid vacation days per calendar year may save one or more of the excess days for a later calendar year. However, no employee may have more than 30 vacation days saved.

Vacation supplement

For each day of vacation taken, a vacation supplement of 0.49% of the fixed salary is paid. The vacation supplement is paid in the month in which the holiday is taken.

Vacation day pay guarantee

The vacation day pay guarantee means that a full-time employee is entitled to a minimum pay per vacation day. The vacation day pay guarantee only applies to taken vacation days, regardless of whether it is this year's vacation or saved vacation. Employees with a salary below SEK 34 800 (2024) are covered by the vacation day pay guarantee.

Vacation compensation

If employment is terminated before all vacation is taken, vacation compensation is paid for the remaining days of vacation. The compensation per day is 4.6% of the fixed monthly salary plus a holiday supplement of 0.49%. The compensation is paid in the month after the employment is terminated.

Replacing vacation with sick leave or leave for sick child

For an employee who falls ill or needs to take leave to take care of their sick child (vab) during their vacation, it is possible to exchange the vacation day for sick leave or leave of absence. This option only applies if the employee registers for sick leave/vab in the PA web on the same day that he or she becomes ill or needs to take leave.
If the notification is not made from the first day of illness, the employee must provide a medical certificate covering the first day of illness.

Parental Leave and Vacation

Employees who have reduced their working hours due to parental leave should not interrupt their parental leave during their vacation. It is the employee's responsibility to ensure that parental benefit is not claimed at the same time as vacation is taken. Full-time parental leave cannot coincide with vacation; in such cases, the parental leave must be interrupted. Parental leave during the summer period (June–August) must be applied for at the same time as the summer vacation, so that the manager can plan staffing during this period.

Vacation during sick leave

Employees who are on sick leave still earn vacation days during the first 180 calendar days of the sickness period and have the opportunity to take vacation while on sick leave (does not apply to the first 14 days of the sickness period).

A person on part-time sick leave needs to take as many vacation days as they would have done if they were not on sick leave.

Other leaves of absence

Shorter absences from work are regulated by the collective agreement. As an employee at KI, you are entitled to take leave without salary deduction in certain situations, including:

• Attending medical appointments
• Moving to a new residence
• Funeral or urn placement ceremony
• Experiencing acute dental issues
• Donating blood
• Participating in graduation ceremonies or exams
• Studying (under specific and exceptional circumstances)