Peter Larsson, Ombudsman at the local trade union, is obviously upset when he learns that the home service at Grubbe in Umeå is expected to change to a toilet. According to him, it is obvious that the staff is entitled to changing rooms and separate cabinets for work clothes and private.  

- This would never even be an issue in a technical, male-dominated workplace. No one would think of telling the construction workers that "we are removing your booth, from now on you may change into a bajamaja".  

- In a hospital, one would never even think of asking the staff to come home and wash their work clothes, but in the home service it should be okay? No, there must be some rhyme and reason in the thinking of politicians and officials.

The employer shall be responsible for changing rooms

Gunnar Sundqvist is an investigator in Sweden's municipalities and regions and according to him there is no major disagreement between unions and employers' organizations regarding how the regulations should be interpreted in relation to staff in the home service.

- The employer shall be responsible for the cost of working clothes and washing of these. You should also make sure that there are spaces for changing clothes. Exactly how to solve this can, however, vary, says Gunnar Sundqvist.

However, there may be special cases. In Norrland's hinterland, for example, it may be a very detour for staff to first have to go to the office to change. Then in some places it has been resolved so that the employees do the laundry themselves for a compensation from the employer.