About your employment

On this page presents an overview of the terms of employment, rights and obligations that apply to you as an employee of the university. This page is primarily intended to support you before your first day of employment. Once you have started, you will find even more information on our internal website for employees at Karlstad University, Inslaget, where policies, tools and news are published.

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Working Hours

Working hours for academic staff and for administrative and technical (AT) staff are regulated differently. For this reason, Karlstad University applies two separate local working time agreements. Below is a summary of what applies to each category.

Teachers, researchers doctoral students and teaching assistants

The working hours of academic staff are regulated by the Local Working Hours Agreement for Teachers at Karlstad University. A full-time academic position corresponds to an annual working time of between 1,700 and 1,756 hours per academic year. These hours include all work-related duties, such as: - Teaching (i.e. teaching activities, preparation and follow-up work) - Research - Administrative tasks - Professional development

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

  • 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.

For teaching that takes place in the evening or at weekends, a separate local collective agreement applies. In brief, this means that additional compensation is paid for each teaching hour where at least half of the teaching takes place: - after 6:00 pm, Monday to Thursday. A higher compensation rate applies if at least half of the teaching takes place between 5:00 pm on Friday and midnight on Sunday.

In most cases, academic staff receive an individual work plan prepared by the Director of Studies at their department. The university uses a digital workload planning tool, Retendo, where you can log in and view your own work plan once you've started. This planning covers teaching, research and other duties for the academic year.

Administrative and technical staff

Working hours are regulated by the Local working time agreement for administrative and technical Staff at Karlstad University. Normal working hours are 39 hours and 45 minutes per week, usually scheduled from 8:00 am to 4:27 pm. For cleaning staff, normal working hours are usually 5:30 am to 1:57 pm.

Administrative and technical staff may apply flexible working hours (flexitime). This means that, within certain limits, employees can adjust their daily working hours based on operational needs and job responsibilities.

  • Flexitime framework: 6:00 am – 8:00 pm
  • Core working hours: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
  • Maximum flexitime balance: +50 hours / –20 hours

Agreements outside these limits may be made in consultation with your manager.

Midsummer’s Eve, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are non-working days. When the Swedish National Day (6 June) falls on a Saturday or Sunday, employees receive a compensatory day off that may be taken at any time during the year, subject to agreement with the manager. This is specific to Swedish public holiday regulations.

On certain days, working hours are reduced as follows: 

  • Epiphany Eve: 4 hours 
  • Maundy Thursday: 2 hours 
  • Walpurgis Night (30 April): 4 hours 
  • All Saints’ Eve: 4 hours 
  • 23 December: 4 hours

Salary Payment

Salaries are paid monthly, by direct deposit to your bank account, on the 25th of each month. If the 25th falls on a Saturday, payment is made on the preceding Friday. If the 25th falls on a Sunday, payment is made on the following Monday. Salary advances are not paid. Your payslip is available in the self-reporting payroll system Primula a few days before payday. You will need a Swedish bank account to receive your salary.

Payroll and employee self-reporting system - Primula

As an employee at Karlstad University, you are required to self-report certain information in the payroll system Primula. This includes, for example, absence, leave and some allowances. You log in using your KauID, which is your personal university user account. More information such as such instruction films and training materials for Primula are available on Inslaget.

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 only)
  • Sick-listing up until day seven
  • Business travel (domestic as well as 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 by e-mailing lon@kau.se.

How is salary determined?

Karlstad University applies individual salary setting for most employees. Doctoral students and teaching assistants are, however, salaried according to local collective agreements.

Guidelines for salary setting are described in the Salary Policy of Karlstad University, which also explains salary criteria and the annual employee appraisal dialogue linked to the salary review process.

Sideline occupation

Karlstad University supports sideline occupations within research and development that does not form part of the university’s core activities, provided that it complies with applicable regulations and the university policy. 

Sideline occupation is generally permitted, but three types are not allowed: 

  • Sideline occupations that interferes with your main duties 
  • Sideline occupations that competes with the university 
  • Sideline occupations that may damage public trust in the university

Sideline occupations refers to any activity outside your private life that you undertake alongside your employment at Karlstad University, whether paid or unpaid. This may include other employment, assignments or running your own business.

Employees are required to review the regulations annually and confirm compliance. Many secondary employments do not need to be reported, but some do. It is therefore important to read the policy and make an initial assessment.

An introduction module on sideline occupations is included in the online introduction training.

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.

Work environment

The work environment at Karlstad University is characterised by trust, openness and mutual respect. The university conducts systematic work environment management, including regular surveys and assessments.

Overall responsibility for the work environment lies with the Vice-Chancellor, but responsibility is delegated to managers at different levels. A Work Environment Committee operates within the university to initiate, develop and monitor work environment efforts.

Occupational injury and incidents 

If you are involved in a near miss, accident or commuting accident (to or from work), it is important that you report the incident in the IA system. The IA system is a web-based incident reporting tool that supports systematic work environment improvement.

If you suffer an occupational injury, you may be entitled to compensation through: - the occupational injury insurance administered by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan), and - AFA Insurance. These insurances are part of the Swedish social security system.

Illness and sick leave

If you become ill, you must notify the designated contact person at your department or unit as soon as possible. When you return to work, you must report your sickness absence in Primula if it does not exceed seven days. Absence longer than seven days must be certified by a medical certificate from day eight.

Compensation during illness

As an employee at Karlstad University, you may be eligible for reimbursement of certain costs related to medical care, physiotherapy, hospital care and prescribed medication.

Occupational health services

Karlstad University has an agreement with Feelgood Karlstad. For employees at the Ingesund School of Music, services are provided in cooperation with Avonova Hälsa AB in Arvika. For illnesses or injuries not related to work, employees are referred to the public healthcare system. Visit Feelgood Karlstad´s website. 

Rehabilitation and workplace adjustments

As an employer, Karlstad University has the main responsibility for work-oriented rehabilitation aimed at enabling you to return to work. This responsibility applies regardless of whether the illness or injury occurred at work or elsewhere.

Insurances

As an employee at Karlstad University, you are covered by several insurance policies, including occupational injury insurance, personal injury insurance, business travel insurance and group life insurance. 

If you are posted abroad for a longer period, the university will take out URA insurance, which regulates employment conditions during international assignments. The university also provides insurance for foreign citizens (GIF) from countries that do not have a healthcare agreement with Sweden. This insurance is particularly important for non-EU/EEA employees.

Health and wellness

Karlstad University encourages all employees to participate in health-promoting activities. This includes for example free lunchtime exercise sessions and gym access at Nordic Wellness Karlstad Campus; an annual wellness allowance and one hour of paid wellness time per week to use for physical activities.

All employees are entitled to an annual wellness allowance of up to SEK 3,000 per calendar year, in accordance with Swedish Tax Agency regulations. The allowance is administered through the wellness portal Epassi. Many gyms and fitness centres in Karlstad and the surrounding area offer discounted memberships for university employees. To access these discounts, you must present a form signed by the HR department confirming your employment.

Other employment benefits

Vacation

As an employee at Karlstad University, you are entitled to a number of paid vacation days, depending on your age: 

  • Up to and including the year you turn 29: 28 days 
  • From the year you turn 30: 31 days 
  • From the year you turn 40: 35 days

The calendar year is both the earning year and the year in which annual leave should normally be taken. According to local agreements, academic staff´s entire vacation days is taken from the Monday following Midsummer. This assumes that the entire vacation entitlement is taken during the year.

Other types of leave

In addition to annual leave and parental leave, you may apply for leave for other reasons, such as studies, trade union duties, care of a close relative, or Swedish language courses. Such leave is usually unpaid.

You may also, during working hours, attend medical appointments such as visits to doctors, occupational health services, outpatient care, physiotherapists, psychiatrists/psychologists/psychotherapists, maternity care, health screenings (e.g. mammography), and blood or plasma donation.

Leave for these visits is granted for the time required, up to a maximum of four hours per occasion, unless you are referred to another location. Other types of leave may also be granted following assessment.

Retirement

The normal retirement age is 65, but you have the right to remain in employment until the age of 69.

Your pension consists of three parts: the national public pension (administered by the Swedish Pensions Agency), the occupational pension (administered by SPV for employees at Karlstad University), any private pension savings. You may also increase your pension through salary exchange, using part of your salary or annual leave days.

Under certain conditions, you may apply for partial retirement from the age of 61. Applications are assessed once per year and must be submitted by 30 September.

Further information: www.pensionsmyndigheten.se, www.spv.se 

Notice of termination

If you resign, this is handled through the self-reporting system Primula. The following notice periods apply:

From the employee’s side

  • Employment up to 1 year: 1 month
  • Employment longer than 1 year: 2 months

From the employer’s side

The notice period depends on the length of employment and is 1 month if employment has lasted up to one year. In cases of redundancy, the notice period may be extended to a maximum of 12 months, depending on length of service.

Organisational structure

Take a look at the organisational charts of the university and the two faculties to ease the understanding of the university's organisational structure:

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 phone applications. 

 

This page has been translated from Swedish with the support of generative AI. If any discrepancies arise between the Swedish original and the English translation, the Swedish version will take precedence.

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