Unemployment funds in Sweden

In Sweden, an unemployment fund (Swedish: arbetslöshetskassa) is an economic association tied to a trade union, except the Unemployment fund Alfa and a few unemployment funds for self-employed and employers.

Since July 1, 2002, an unemployment fund is to some extent equal to a government agency, and is as thus comprised by the Freedom of the Press Act of the Swedish constitution. The primary function of the unemployment funds is to administrate and pay unemployment benefits, according to law (Lag om arbetslöshetsförsäkring (1997:238) and Lag om arbetslöshetskassor (1997:239)).