Reforms to start testing 35-hour workweek in Sweden for 5,000 workers

Reforms are set to commence with a research project aimed at testing a 35-hour workweek for 5,000 workers over the span of a year, focusing primarily on welfare sector workplaces. The proposal envisions establishing a nationwide 35-hour work week by 2035. Annika Strandhäll highlighted this as “the most significant freedom reform of the century so far.”

Strandhäll has been leading a workgroup tasked with developing new labor market policies for the Social Democratic Party during the spring and summer. The workgroup advocates for legislation that would enforce a general reduction in working hours applicable across all sectors. Another suggestion includes allowing workers to apply for a security pension after 40 years of employment, regardless of their age at that point.

Strandhäll’s group is one of eleven working throughout the year to propose new policies leading up to the 2026 election. The recommendations presented will serve as a foundation for the party’s congress next year rather than final policy decisions.

In Sweden, current labor laws stipulate a maximum weekly work hours of 40, generally considered full-time. This legislation has remained unchanged since 1973. Approximately 80 percent of salaried employees and 74 percent of manual laborers currently work 40 hours per week.