Notice periods and order of selection in a small Swedish company
Dismissal requires objective reasons. Notice runs from one to six months by length of service, the order of selection follows service within the operating unit, and the employer may exempt three employees of particular importance.
What the rules say
- The Employment Protection Act: dismissal by the employer must rest on objective reasons.
- The Employment Protection Act: notice is at least one month and at most six months after ten years of service.
- The Employment Protection Act: up to three employees of particular importance may be exempted before the order is set.
The requirements line by line
| Question | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Grounds | A dismissal by the employer requires objective reasons, either redundancy or personal grounds. | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| Deadline | Notice is at least one month and rises with length of service to a maximum of six months after ten years. | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| Order of selection | In redundancy the order follows length of service within the operating unit and bargaining area, longer service first. | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| Exception | The employer may exempt up to three employees of particular importance to continued operations before the order is set. | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| Priority rights | An employee dismissed for redundancy has priority for re-employment for nine months after the employment ends, given at least twelve months of service. | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
Thresholds and limits
| Limit | What it triggers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| One to six months | Notice by length of service | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| Three employees | May be exempted from the order, regardless of employer size | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| Nine months | Priority for re-employment | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
What it means for the company
The exemption rule applies to every employer, including the smallest. Document the redundancy, the redeployment review and the exemptions before notice is given; that order is what gets tested afterwards.
What it means for the individual
Priority for re-employment lasts nine months and requires that you have claimed it.
Source lines
- Svensk författningssamling, RiksdagenSFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd · read 2026-08-25 · proof 682d35707e827f49
Next step
List length of service per person in the operating unit and review redeployment before setting the order.
This page reports what the sources say, with the identifier and address of the publisher. It is not legal advice and does not decide an individual matter.
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