Know your rights

General knowledge  

• You have the right to receive a payslip each month so you can verify that your salary is correct according to worked hours and other compensations.  

• You have the right to receive a written employment contract no later than 7 days after you have started work. –

• It’s important to note that it is your employer that should pay for the travel-expenses to Sweden and back while working here. The same applies for travel-expenses within Sweden. .  

• You should never be asked to pay back any of your salary to your employer.  

• You should never be asked to leave your passport to your employer.  

• Consider registering an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)  
  A free card that allows you to access medically necessary state-provided healthcare while you are temporary staying in any of the 27 EU countries. Lägg in ett liten bild  

Better safe than sorry  

Even if it’s not always the case of course, our experience is unfortunately that guestworkers to a higher degree than others risk being tricked by their employers.   
There are a few things you as a worker can do to minimize the risk of being cheated- and also drastically increase your chances of being able to claim your right.  

• Save all your conversations between you and your employer.  

• Keep an individual work-diary keeping track of where you work, the dates and between what hours.  

• Save pictures of your work schedule.  

• An extra precaution can also be to make sure you have your GPS tracker on and make it into a routine to take a picture when you come to work- but also when you leave. 
  
  

The majority of Swedes have chosen to become a member of a Union. Our goal is to improve the working conditions for our members. One way of doing that, is by trying to reach an collective agreements with employers- a signed contract regulating rules regarding working conditions, salaries, working hours, and insurances for all the employees in that company. The main contractors of Västlänken have all signed a collective agreement and has required all the following subcontractors to do the same- meaning that the following information should be applied to you as well.
Important to note is that regardless if you’re a member of a union or not- you have the same rights under the collective agreement.

And remember, we are a non-governmental organization, our goal is to help members receive the working conditions they are entitled to while working here. If you after reading this information feel that your working conditions don’t match what is stated here, don’t hesitate to contact your local union office for further support.  

You can always choose to be anaonymous when in initial contact with your local union office.