Benefits

Working hours

Working hours are organised differently for different staff categories. Teaching staff have annual working hours, while most administrative and technical staff have flexible working hours.

Flexitime

Flexitime for administrative and technical staff is regulated via a local collective bargaining agreement.

Flexitime allows staff to determine their own working hours within the given framework and based on the needs of the organisation. Freedom to decide your own working hours may be restricted to some extent. The framework is from 06:00–20:00 and the core period, when all staff members are expected to be at work, is from 09:00–15:00. Cleaning and maintenance staff have a framework from 05:00–17:00 with core hours between 06:30 and 12:30.

Leave

There are three categories of leave at Karlstad University: holiday, parental leave and other leaves of absence.

Holiday entitlement depends on your age:

• 28 days until the year you turn 29
• 31 days from the year you turn 30
• 35 days from the year you turn 40

Parental benefit supplement

While you are on parental leave, you are entitled to a parental benefit supplement equivalent to 10% of your daily pay for those days on which parental benefits over the lowest amount are paid.

Health maintenance benefits

Karlstad University wants to help staff to stay active, since activity has positive results both at work and in your private life. The university creates opportunities for staff members to promote their health, for example by encouraging them to take advantage of a generous number of health maintenance benefits.

Wellness hour

Staff with regulated working hours are entitled to one health maintenance hour per week, if their work allows.

Wellness grant

Staff training at the facility of their choice may be reimbursed by the University up to a total of SEK 3 000 per calendar year. Other activities, such as massage and yoga may also be reimbursed. The wellness grant is utilized via the digital portal Epassi.

Discounted training

Some training facilities in Karlstad and nearby offer discounted prices to university staff. Staff need to show proof of employment to receive the discount.

Lunchtime training at the university

Nordic Wellness, a training facility located at campus Karlstad offers free lunchtime training at the university. Staff can also work out in the gym for free mornings and around noon (05.00 - 13.00).

Healthcare

Staff may keep doctor’s and dentist’s appointments during paid working hours. There is also some reimbursement available for healthcare, physiotherapy, hospitalisation and prescribed medication.

All staff members can receive occupational health services for work-related ailments.

Annual bus tickets

University staff may buy an annual bus ticket via deductions from your net pay. This means that you pay for 10 months but can travel for 12 months using the city bus card or the county bus card.

Pension

After a rich working life at the university, we also want you to enjoy your retirement. Karlstad University staff are covered by the occupational pensions agreement PA 16. This agreement complements national pensions.

Salary exchange

We want to enable staff to make favorable pension savings, for example by exchanging accrued leave for pension. You may also make special pension payments via continuous deductions from your gross pay each month.

Insurance

Karlstad University staff are covered by different types of insurance, including:

• Occupational injury insurance: includes injuries or illness resulting from an accident or in another way caused by work.
• Insurance for business travel: covers business travel for a maximum of 365 consecutive days, including 14 days’ holiday in direct connection with the business trip.
• Service group life insurance: In case of death, this provides financial security to the spouse, registered partner, cohabitant and children of the deceased.