Employment information

This page provides brief information to new and old employees on the employment terms, rights and duties that apply to employees at Karlstad University. There are some clickable links in the text to further information on Inslaget, which is the university's intranet. You will have access to it as soon as you join us. All employees are also welcome to contact Human Resources Office for any question or more information on terms of employment or other related areas.

Working Hours

Teaching staff and administrative/technical staff have different working hours agreements, see overall information for the respective category below. 

Teachers, researchers doctoral students and teaching assistants

The working time of teaching staff is not regulated as above. The following positions belong to the teaching staff category: professor, senior lecturer, associate senior lecturer, postdoctoral research fellow, adjunct professor and teachers, lecturer, teaching assistant, postdoctoral researcher, visiting researcher and, and visiting professor. Doctoral students are also included in this agreement. Development engineers and other categories can be covered by the teaching staff agreement if an individual contract has been signed to this effect. 

A full-time teacher has an annual workload of 1700-1756 hours (depending on age) for duties such as:

  • Education (i.e. teaching, preparation and examination, evaluation etc.)
  • Research
  • Administrative duties
  • Professional development

The annual number of working hours for a teacher is based on age and vacation entitlement:

  • 1 756 hours for employees entitled to 28 vacation days/until age 29.
  • 1 732 hours for employees entitled to 31 vacation days/from age 30.
  • 1 700 hours for employees entitled to 35 vacation days /from age 40.

There is a local agreement on teaching evenings or weekends. The agreement stipulates that the employee gets paid extra for every teaching hour of which at least 30 minutes take place after 18.00 on Monday–Thursday. Teaching taking place between Friday at 17.00 and Sunday at 24.00 is paid somewhat more. The teachers’ agreement and current evening and weekend reimbursement rates are available on Inslaget under the headings Documents and Agreements.

Normally, the directors of study allocate working hours for all teaching staff involved in education at their departments.

Administrative and technical staff

Working hours for administrative and technical staff are regulated in a local agreement at Karlstad University.  Regular working time is 39 hours and 45 minutes per week, usually taking place from 8.00-16.27 with a 30-minute lunch break.  For employees in cleaning services the work hours are usually from 5.30-13.57.

Midsummer Eve, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are holidays. When the national holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, staff are given a day off which can be taken during any time of the year in agreement with their supervisor.

Working time is reduced on certain days by the number of hours stated below:

    • 4 hours. Twelfth Night
    • 2 hours. Maundy Thursday
    • 4 hours. The day before All Saints Day
    • 4 hours. 23 December

Administrative and technical staff may exercise flex-time, which means that employees can choose when to set up their working hours based on the demands of their work in the period of 6.00-20.00. The core hours are from 9.00-15.00. A departure from the time period can be agreed upon with your supervisor.

Your flex hour account cannot be more than 50 hours on the plus side and 20 hours on the minus side.

Part-time overtime

Part-time overtime (mertid) is the extra time worked exceeding the terms of part-time employment up till full-time. For administrative and technical part-time staff this means that the right to overtime compensation rates only applies once the daily working hours exceed the normal full- time working hours. Compensation for part-time overtime is in the form of pay for teachers and in the form of time off or payment for administrative and technical staff. The time off period should correspond to the time of the extra time worked. The pay is in the form of cash reimbursement of 1/142 of full-time salary. The employee is free to choose the form of reimbursement unless the employer has special reasons to decide otherwise. For more information, see Overtime.

Overtime

For administrative and technical staff, overtime is defined as work beyond the normal working hours a day. Part-time staff may only be paid overtime rates once the normal full-time working hours have been exceeded. Overtime is either simple or qualified. Only work requested by the supervisor may count as overtime. As far as possible, overtime should be restricted. The need for and duration of overtime must be possible to check and control.

Qualified overtime is overtime hours worked between

  • 19.00 Friday and 07.00 Monday
  • 19.00 the day before Twelfth Night, First of May, Ascension Day or 6 June and 07.00 the day of the earliest following working-day
  • 19.00 MaundyThursday and 07.00 the day after Easter Monday
  • 19.00 the day before Midsummer Eve, Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve and 07.00 the day of the earliest following working-day
  • and all other times between 22.00 and 06.00.

Other overtime is simple overtime.

Reimbursement is in the form of payment (compensatory pay) or time off (compensatory leave). Compensatory leave shall be given provided that the employee so wishes and the employer finds that circumstances permit leave.

Salary Payment

The salary is paid monthly to a private account. The money is available on the 25th of every month at the earliest with some exceptions connected to holidays.  Advance payment of salary is not practised. Salary specification is available in the self-reporting system a day or two before the day of payment. When you begin your employment you must register your bank account online, the same if you change bank account during your employment. Read more here when you can access our intranet:

KauID

At Karlstad University we use a personal identification system called KauID. KauID and Single Sign On (SSO) are used for logging in to most of our digital systems. In lay terms, that means that the same login information applies to most of our systems. 

Your personal KauID is also to be used as reference for invoice orders.

Kau access card

The Kau access card (sw: Kau-kortet) is a personal card that you use to access the buildings, using the printers and borrowing books at the university. The card contains your name, photo and birth data. More information on how to apply for a Kau access card is available on the intranet Inslaget A-Ö.

Picking up keys and access card

Keys and access cards are issued by Campus Services at their reception in 1A 352. Their staff can be reached at the e-mail address ts@kau.se. Please note that to place an order for an access card you need to take a photo of yourself in the photo booth in the main entrance area. 

IT Office

For obvious reasons, new employees must contact the IT Office fairly soon as they begin their employment for collecting your KauID and your computer. Easiest way to reach them is at the e-mail address 2525@kau.se or dial the extension 2525. Please book a time before picking up your computer, pick-up is at the IT Office house 5D, floor 4.

Employee self-reporting system

Employees at Karlstad University update a number of personal data via the payroll system Primula. This is called self-reporting. Log in with your Kau-ID to update the following:

  • Change of address (N.B. this is not reported automatically)
  • Requests for leave of absence
  • Request for vacation (administrative/technical staff)
  • Sick-listing till day seven
  • Business travel (domestic and abroad)
  • Expenses
  • Side-line occupation
  • Next of kin (in case of emergency)

For more information on self-reporting, contact your payroll officer at the HR Office.

Work Environment

The work environment at Karlstad University is characterised by trust, transparency and reciprocity. The goal is that employees and students are comfortable, committed and experience meaningfulness, which are fundamental health factors. The work environment should generate job satisfaction, a sense of community and personal development.

The University's systematic work environment management involves investigating and surveying  the environment in various ways that comprise all physical, psychological and social conditions of importance for the work environment, and  both the psychosocial and the physical, and taking measures when deficiencies and risks are identified.

The vice Chancellor has the overriding responsibility for the work environment, but it has been delegated to the respective heads of the faculties, the university administration and library. There is also a work environment committee at the university, which initiates, develops and monitors the work environment efforts.

Occupational injury and incidents 

If you are injured at the workplace, or on the way to or from, it is important to report this to your nearest supervisor. Together, you fill in a form about the incident. Also incidents that do not result in an accident, illness or occupational injury should be reported in the same way.

Compensation for such injuries is granted  under the occupational injury insurance via the Swedish Social Insurance Office and AFA Insurance. Note that this also has to be processed via your supervisor.

Leave of absence and vacation

In addition to vacation and parental leave, employees may request unpaid leave of absence for other reasons such as leave for study,  for employee union representation, for care of dependant, and for attending Swedish language course.  

During work hours, employees are also granted permission to visit a physician, the University health care services,  an out-patient clinic, a physiotherapist/psychiatrist/psychologist/psycho therapist, maternity clinic, to get a medical check-up, e.g. receive mammography, and to donate blood.  Parental training, however, is not equivalent to a doctor's appointment or a visit to a maternity clinic, but unpaid leave has to be requested for such activities. The leave of absence for parental training applies to the time needed but 4 hours at the most per day and occasion (except for referrals to a place other than Karlstad but not for health care under private insurance).

It is also possible to be granted leave of absence for other reasons.

Vacation

Employees at Karlstad University are entitled to a certain number of vacation days depending on age, as follows:

Up to and including the year in which the employee turns 29 

28 days

From the year in which the employee turns 30

31 days

From the year in which the employee turns 40

35 days

The calendar year is the basis for accrued vacation and vacation leave must be taken in that year.

Insurance

Staff at Karlstad University is covered by the following insurance policies: Occupational Accident Insurance, Occupational Injury Insurance,  Business Travel Accident Insurance, and Collective Life Insurance. For employees stationed abroad the university takes out an URA insurance policy (Agreement on Overseas Contracts and Guidelines for Employment Conditions for Service Abroad).

We also have insurance for non-Swedish citizens from countries with no agreement with Sweden on health care coverage.

Health maintenance benefits

Through our health promotion policy, Karlstad University aims to encourage all its staff to participate in healthy activities. We do this by offering free lunchbreak exercise sessions and gym training at Nordic Wellness Karlstad Campus facility, a 3 000 SEK annual wellness allowance, one hour of wellness activities per week 

Employees are free to choose where to do their physical activities and the University will subsidise 50% of the cost of a training card at an optional facility, in accordance with the Tax Agency guidelines. The wellness allowance maximum amount is 3 000 SEK per calendar year. Use the wellness allowance through Epassi according to the instruction available on our intranet Inslaget and Epassi webpage or app.

Many sport facilities have decided to offer university staff reduced fees. Actic, Friskis&Svettis, KMTI and Nordic Wellness are some of them. In order to receive a price reduction, bring a form signed by the HR office to the gym to verify that you are employed. This form is available here.

Employment Benefits

All information on employment benefits at Karlstad University

Sick-listing

Employees are obligated to report sick leave immediately to the appropriate person in the department. The contact person notifies HR, the switchboard and the immediate supervisor. Sick-listing not exceeding 7 days should be reported in Primula (the employee self-reporting system) on return to work. Sick-listing exceeding 7 days requires a Doctor’s certificate (i.e. from day 8), which is handed in to the HR salary officer.

Employees are reimbursed for medical care, physiotherapy, hospital care and pharmaceutical products.

Health Care Services

Karlstad University has a health care partnership agreement with Clarahälsan in Karlstad, and with Avonova Hälsa AB i Arvika for staff at Ingesund.  They offer the services of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, behavioural scientists and safety engineers.  Clarahälsan has a focus on rehabilitation, preventive efforts relating to risks in the work environment,  and in some cases  work-related illness and injuries. Normally, staff is referred to public health care institutions for treatment of non-work related illnesses. Every employee is free to contact Clarahälsan to book three appointments with a behavioural scientist without reporting to a supervisor. Additional appointments need to be approved by the supervisor, who also has to approve of other health care services. Requests to Clarahälsan for major efforts or working environment surveys must be made by a head of department or the HR director.

Policies, guidelines and local agreements

At Karlstad University, there is an amount of policies, guidelines and Kau collective agreements you as an employee need to be aware of. Some examples are: Alcohol and Drug Policy, Official Documents, Secrecy and Registration, Working Hours Agreement for Teaching Staff, Working Hours Agreement for Administrative and Technical Staff and Policy to Develop Equal Treatment of Leaders and Co-Workers.

Academic dictionary

Travel

Business travel should be booked via our procured Travel Agency and preferably by train. 

Employees are reimbursed for costs incurred on official business travelling. Salary supplements and parts of the expense allowance are taxable. Travelling expenses should be claimed and account-coded via the employee self-reporting system; any receipts. should be scanned in Primula and sent directly to your salary officer. If only electronic receipts are available, these count as original receipts. The travel expense report is then sent electronically  to your supervisor for authorisation.

Sideline Occupation

Sideline occupation refers to professional activities pursued in addition to employment at Karlstad University. The additional work can be other employments, a commission, or private business. Karlstad University takes a positive attitude to sideline occupations relating to research and development projects or appointments that for some reason cannot be incorporated into its organisation, on the condition that the sideline activity is pursued in accordance with current regulations and the university.

Sideline occupations are not permitted in three cases:

  • the sideline activity obstructs work (work-obstructing sideline)
  • the sideline activity competes with the university’s activities (competitive sideline)
  • the sideline activity can affect public trust in the university (trust-undermining sideline)

Submit your tax sheet

New employees shall hand in a preliminary tax sheet to the HR Office. Persons employed by the university prior to 1 November of the previous year are not required to hand in a tax sheet since this information is then available via a central register. Special notification of tax reduction received during the year must be handed in to the HR Office. Contact a Salary officer at the HR Office for more information.

Useful information on safety

Fire safety: Karlstad University, Akademiska Hus (Karlstad) and Arvika Fastigheter AB (Ingesund) are jointly responsible for systematic fire safety management.  On campus there is an automatic evacuation alarm system in case of fire, as well as in case of other incidents such as bomb threat. Every employee must know what to do when the alarm sounds.

  • Leave the building via the nearest emergency exit route. Follow the green exit signs.
  • Go to the nearest assembly point dig.
  • Stay there until further notice.

It is also useful to know where the nearest evacuation plan and fire extinguisher are placed, and which is the nearest evacuation route for you.

Theft/break-in: Report theft or break-in at the University, or on business travel, to the nearest supervisor and the university safety office for help to file a report with the police and other practical measures. 

To avoid theft, keep the following three simple rules:

  1. Do not leave any valuables unguarded.
  2. Lock your office door when you are not there.
  3. Be observant of unknown persons on the premises who do not seem to have a reason to be there. 

Threat/violence: If you are threatened or perceive a situation as unpleasant in connection with your work at the university – on the phone, via e-mail, social media or physically – notify your supervisor and the university safety office without delay.  They can help you handle the situation. In emergency, dial 112 for the police.

Protection: If you need help or feel threatened at the university after work, or in daytime during weekends, contact the guards stationed at the university. 

Defibrillator: There are four defibrillators at the university: at the reception in the main entrance building 1E; in the gym hall building 7B;  to the right in the main entrance to building 12; and at Ingesund, building C near the administrative office. 

Organisation map

To ease the understanding of the university's organisation structure several organisation maps has been created..

Parking

Parking areas are located south and east of building 21, outside and north of building 11 towards Frödingshöjd. Note that most parking areas are subject to charge. Monthly and weekly parking cards can be purchased in the parking meter for the parking lot east of building 21 or through the parking company's mobile applications. 

Equity and Equality

The vice-chancellor has the overall responsibility for policies and efforts concerning equality and equity with delegation to the faculty deans, the university administration and central services and the library director.

The deans and the administrative management are responsible for pursuing goal-oriented and systematic activities to promote equality and equity in their domains. All efforts take place in conjunction with the employee unions and the student union. Relevant policy documents are available here.

Every employee, student and external contact of Karlstad University should, irrespective of gender, have the same rights, obligations and opportunities to shape society and their own lives. Through commitment to gender mainstreaming we also contribute to achieving the political gender equality goal, which means that women and men are equally empowered socially and personally.

Pay Policy

The university practices individual pay-setting for most employees. Doctoral students are covered by a local collective agreement that sets their pay. Guidelines for pay setting at Karlstad University is included in Karlstad University pay policy, which also comprises pay-setting criteria and performance appraisal.

Rehabilitation

Karlstad University carries the main responsibility for occupational rehabilitation aiming at reinstating the employee. This applies irrespective of whether the cause of the illness or injury is due to work or not. In accordance with work environment legislation and the National Board of Occupational Health and Safety, the employer must offer organised adjustment and rehabilitation activities at the workplace. Karlstad University has an obligation to invest in early and active rehabilitation.

Retirement

The normal age of retirement is 65, but employees also have the right to stay on till they are 68, from 2023 the new age for right to stay will be 69. The pension consists of three parts: retirement pension, occupational pension and private pension. The retirement pension is guaranteed by law and paid through the Pensions Agency. In addition, your employment at Karlstad University provides occupational pension through the National Government Employee Pensions Board (SPV).  You can also increase your pension by exchanging parts of your salary or vacation days for further pension installments.

At 61, you can get partial retirement pension in certain circumstances and on the approval of the employer. Request for partial retirement is processed once a year and an application must be made no later than last September every year. The application is made in Primula.

Glasses for screen reading and protection

Employees who suffer from eyesight problems when working at the computer are provided with special glasses on request. Protective glasses for laboratory work are also provided. Contact HR for requisition and information.

Societies

Notice of termination

Notice of termination of employment must be written. The following minimum periods of notice apply to employees with permanent appointments:

Employee notice period

Length of employment minimum notice period

Up until 1 year

1 month

More than 1 year

2 months

Employer notice period

The period of notice depends on the length of employment, for instance, 1 month if the employment period is less than 1 year. The period of notice can be extended up to 12 months if the notice was given due to shortage of work.

The Calm room

You can go to the Calm room (SW: Stilla rummet) at 3C320 to look for peace and quiet, focus and to regain power. The door is always open. The room is religiously unbound and open for both staff and students.

Career support & Competence development

As an employee at Karlstad University there is a variety of competence development and career support resources to take part of. Much of what is available is gathered at our Career support page. 

Induction videos

Once you have access to our intranet we recommend you watching our induction videos to get a more in-depth knowledge of the University.