Pregnant & Breastfeeding in the Work Environment 2026/2027 – Risk Assessment, Reassignment & Guide Word/PDF

Pregnant & Breastfeeding Employees in the Work Environment 2026/2027 – Risk Assessment, Redeployment & Guide

This is a complete employer and HR package for pregnant, recently delivered, and breastfeeding employees. The package helps the employer carry out the special risk assessment required when an employee notifies them that she is pregnant, breastfeeding, or has given birth within the last 14 weeks – and to document measures, redeployment, work prohibitions, and follow-ups in a structured manner.

The template package was legally reviewed on October 5, 2026, primarily against AFS 2023:2 Ch. 7, AFS 2023:1, the Work Environment Act, the Parental Leave Act, and the Swedish Social Insurance Agency’s (Försäkringskassan) current regulations on pregnancy benefit.

Delivery: 6 separate documents in both Word (DOCX) and PDF – a total of 12 files and 12 A4 pages per format series.

Included in this package

• Risk Assessment – Pregnant, Recently Delivered & Breastfeeding – 2 pages.
• Action & Redeployment Plan – 2 pages.
• Decision Basis – Risk Prohibition & Redeployment – 2 pages.
• Checklist – Risk Factors during Pregnancy & Breastfeeding – 2 pages.
• Interview Guide – Pregnancy, Recently Delivered & Breastfeeding – 2 pages.
• Detailed User Guide – 2 pages.

When should the special risk assessment be carried out?

AFS 2023:2 Ch. 7 applies when an employee has notified the employer that she is pregnant, breastfeeding, or has given birth within the last 14 weeks. The employer must then immediately investigate whether the employee is exposed to risk factors that may affect the pregnancy, breastfeeding, or the employee's health.

The assessment must be conducted in collaboration with the employee and take into account the exposure's:

• nature,
• degree,
• duration.

The risk assessment covers several types of exposure

The special checklist helps the employer systematically check, among other things:

• vibrations, shocks, and movements in the base,
• noise,
• ionizing and non-ionizing radiation,
• extreme cold and heat,
• heavy lifting, working postures, and other physical strain,
• biological risks and infectious agents,
• chemical sources of risk,
• lead, mercury, cytostatics, and carbon monoxide,
• violence or threats of violence,
• mental exhaustion and high mental stress,
• victimization,
• night work and recovery.

The employer must inform the employee

Following the risk assessment, the employer must inform the employee of the result and what measures will be taken as soon as possible. The template package therefore contains specific fields for the date of information, decided measures, and ongoing follow-up.

Risks must be eliminated first

If the assessment shows a risk of harmful impact on pregnancy or breastfeeding, or a risk of other ill health or accidents, the employer must immediately take the measures necessary to eliminate the risks.

This may involve, for example:

• changed working methods,
• reduced or removed exposure,
• replacement of products or materials,
• technical protection, ventilation, or other equipment,
• changed duties,
• changed working hours,
• strengthened staffing or other work organization.

If risk remains, work may not continue

If the risk cannot be eliminated, the employee may not be employed in the high-risk work. At the same time, the employer must take all practically possible and reasonable measures to provide the employee with other duties.

The separate Action & Redeployment Plan therefore documents both what has been tested in the regular work and which alternative duties have actually been investigated.

Redeployment under the Parental Leave Act

The Parental Leave Act contains specific rules on redeployment for employees who are expecting a child, have recently given birth, or are breastfeeding.

When an employee has been prohibited from continuing their regular work based on work environment regulations, the right to redeployment with maintained employment benefits may be triggered. In cases of physically strenuous duties, there is also a specific right to redeployment starting from the 60th day before the expected date of delivery, under the conditions of the law.

If redeployment is not possible, the employer must continuously check if an opportunity arises.

Pregnancy benefit – a separate official decision

If the pregnant employee cannot continue working due to work environment risks or physically strenuous work, and the employer cannot offer sufficient redeployment, a pregnancy benefit (graviditetspenning) may be relevant.

The package documents the employer’s risk assessment and redeployment efforts, but the Swedish Social Insurance Agency decides on the right to pregnancy benefit. The employer may need to provide a specific statement on redeployment via the Swedish Social Insurance Agency’s current service.

Partial redeployment is possible

If the employer can offer safer or less strenuous duties during only part of the working hours, a partial solution may be possible. The templates therefore contain fields for, e.g., 25, 50, 75, or 100 percent scope.

Lead work – specific prohibition

A pregnant or breastfeeding employee may not be employed in lead work where lead or lead compounds can be absorbed into the body. The risk assessment therefore has a specific control point that cannot be treated as a regular general risk item.

Smoke and chemical diving

Pregnant and breastfeeding employees may not be employed in smoke or chemical diving. The package marks this as an explicit prohibition.

Diving work and work under increased pressure

A pregnant employee may not be employed in diving work or work under increased pressure, such as in a pressure chamber or similar environment above normal atmospheric pressure.

Rubella and toxoplasma

A pregnant employee may not be employed in work where she risks exposure to rubella or toxoplasma if she lacks full immunity against the infectious agent. The risk factor checklist therefore has specific control fields for this.

Night work

A pregnant employee or an employee who has given birth within the last 14 weeks may not be employed in night work if a medical certificate states that night work would be harmful to her health or safety.

The employer must then offer work during the day if this is practically possible and reasonable.

Underground mining work

There are special rules for pregnant or breastfeeding employees regarding underground mining work. If the risk assessment shows a risk of harmful impact on pregnancy or breastfeeding or other ill health, the employee may not be employed in such work.

Possibility to rest lying down

The employer must arrange for a pregnant or breastfeeding employee to be able to temporarily rest in a lying position under suitable conditions at the workplace. The package therefore includes a specific control point for a resting area.

Risk factor checklist as support

The separate checklist is divided into:

• physical and ergonomic factors,
• biological factors,
• chemical factors,
• violence, organizational, and social factors,
• working hours and work organization.

The checklist does not replace the individual assessment. The employer must still assess the actual exposure and also comparable risks that are not explicitly listed.

Decision basis in case of work prohibition

If regular work must be stopped, a specific decision basis is included to document: