The handbook · Build the place
Staff and wages
Your staff are your biggest cost and your biggest asset. The rules are not hard, but they punish anyone who takes chances.
Summary
An employee costs 1.45 times the gross wage once employer contributions of 31.42 percent and holiday pay of 12 percent are counted in. You can use a trial employment for at most six months. A kollektivavtal, a collective agreement, is voluntary but common in the trade and is signed through Visita. Register as an employer with Skatteverket before the first wage is paid out.
Numbers to plan with
- 31.42 %
- employer contributions on top of the gross wage. Check the current level with Skatteverket.
- 12 %
- holiday compensation on the wage for anyone without paid holiday
- 6 months
- the longest trial employment allowed
- 1.45 times
- is what the wage becomes in real cost with contributions and holiday pay
Types of employment in practice
Permanent employment is the main rule. Everything else is an exception that has to be justified. In restaurants it often means a core of permanent staff and extras on weekends.
Write an employment contract, even for someone who will work two evenings. One A4 page is enough: who, what, when, how and notice period.
- Permanent: runs until someone gives notice. Notice period according to law or agreement.
- Trial employment: at most six months and can be ended by both parties
- Special fixed term employment: for needs that are temporary, with rules on how long
- Hourly work is not a separate contract in the law. It is an employment where the hours vary, and it still has to have a written contract.
- Under 18: special rules on working hours and which machines they may use
What an employee actually costs
Many people count only the wage and forget the rest. Here is the full cost of a chef on 28,000 kronor a month.
| Item | Amount per month | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Gross wage | 28,000 kr | What the payslip shows |
| Holiday pay | 3,360 kr | 12 percent, paid out as you go or saved |
| Employer contributions | 9,856 kr | 31.42 percent on wage and holiday pay |
| Insurance and pension | 1,000 to 2,500 kr | With kollektivavtal, paid through Fora |
| Total | About 42,000 to 44,000 kr | Always use that figure when you plan the schedule |
Kollektivavtal: should you sign one?
There is no legal requirement for a kollektivavtal, a collective agreement. In the restaurant trade it is still common, and Hotell- och restaurangfacket will get in touch sooner or later. The employer organization is called Visita.
With a kollektivavtal you get a ready made rule book for wages, OB pay, working hours and insurance. You also get terms you cannot negotiate away. Without an agreement you are freer, but you have to keep track of everything yourself and staff compare terms with the place next door.
- A kollektivavtal gives clear minimum levels for wages and supplements
- Insurance and occupational pension go through Fora and become a fixed cost per employee
- Many landlords and public procurement customers ask for the agreement
- Without an agreement you should still offer an occupational pension if you want to keep people
Hiring someone who is not a Swedish citizen
The restaurant trade hires many new arrivals, and that is fine. But you as the employer are responsible for checking that the person is allowed to work in Sweden.
The check is simple and takes five minutes. If you skip it you can get a penalty fee and it gets harder to get permits in the future.
- Check the residence permit or work permit before the first shift
- Keep a copy of the document for as long as the employment lasts and for a while after
- Report the employment to Skatteverket when it concerns a citizen from outside the EU
- A work permit can be tied to one specific employer and one specific occupation
- EU citizens may start work right away, but need a samordningsnummer or a personnummer, a Swedish identity number, for the payroll
Common questions
What is a reasonable wage for a chef or checkout staff?
Wages follow the levels in the kollektivavtal and vary with experience and location. Ask Visita or look in the agreement for current minimum levels. In many towns an experienced chef sits clearly above the minimum wage, because there is a shortage of people.
Can I hire family members?
Yes, but they have to have a contract, a wage and be in the personalliggare just like everyone else. Letting a relative work for free over a weekend is a common remark in Skatteverket inspections.
What do I do if someone does not behave?
Talk to them directly, in writing and early. Document what you agreed. Dismissal requires objective grounds and the right procedure, and it starts with you being able to show that you spoke up.