Overtime and Break Laws in Sweden (2026)

Overtime in Sweden

The law sets no overtime premium of its own here. What overtime pays is up to the employment contract or the collective agreement.

• Ordinary hours are max 40 a week, or 40 on average over up to 4 weeks where the work requires it. Overtime is time past ordinary hours and on-call time.
• General overtime (allman overtid) is capped at 48 hours per 4 weeks or 50 hours per calendar month, and 200 hours per calendar year.
• Extra overtime of up to 150 hours a year is allowed for special reasons, but general plus extra overtime may not exceed 48 hours per 4 weeks or 50 hours per month.
• Total working time may not exceed 48 hours a week on average over a reference period of up to 4 months.
• Collective agreements can deviate from most of these rules. Common agreement rates are time and a half or double, or time off in lieu.
• Employees in a senior management position, or trusted to set their own hours, and household employees are excluded from the Act.

Averaging over a pay period: Ordinary 40 hours can be averaged over up to 4 weeks. The 48-hour total cap averages over up to 4 months (up to 12 months by collective agreement).

Breaks and lunch in Sweden

The law does not set a break of a fixed length for adult employees here.

• The number, length and placing of breaks must be satisfactory for the working conditions, and the employer must set them in advance.
• Breaks can be replaced by paid meal pauses at the workplace when conditions require it. Short work pauses also count as working time.
• Daily rest of at least 11 consecutive hours in every 24-hour period, which should include midnight to 5 am.
• Weekly rest of at least 36 consecutive hours in every 7-day period.

Official sources

• Riksdagen: Arbetstidslag (1982:673)

Frequently asked questions

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