The detail that stops Damallsvensk's pregnancy policy

Elin Rubensson, Johanna Andersson, Therese Ivarsson, Malin Diaz, Jessica Wik.

In the past year, several players in the damallsvenskan have told us that they are pregnant.  

But some guidelines for what applies are missing in damallsvenskan also in 2021, despite the fact that Sweden has worked for several years to get a pregnancy and parenting policy. 

- This has been important for me and the players for several years.

There is a broad consensus among players and clubs that we want this resolved, says Caroline Jönsson.

The players 'association and the clubs' representative Elitfotboll dam agree on what the policy should contain.

Nevertheless, it cannot be used. 

"Not normal in Swedish working life"

The reason is that it will be included in a new collective agreement that the parties do not currently agree on.

The main problem is an insurance issue - compensation in the event of an injury.  

In the current collective agreement, Försäkringskassan accounts for 80 percent and the club for 10 percent in the event of a football injury until the player is eventually insured.

Then the club must account for all 90 percent until the player is match ready again or the contract expires.

- It is not a handling that is normal in Swedish working life in general.

It will be a very big load.

In the long run, this means that the clubs must keep their salaries down to compensate for injuries.

This hampers the development of the entire collective, says EFD's Secretary General Tomas Hoszek.

Hoszek does not think it is strange that the negotiations stop the pregnancy policy, as EFD sees the insurance issue as the crux of a new collective agreement. 

- You choose to take one point at a time and negotiate through it.

Then we took the insurance issue first and then we block everything else.

When it is solved, you move on to the next one, he says.

Want help from insurance companies

Tomas Hoszek hopes for a solution soon and tells SVT Sport that there are two alternatives on the table.

The hope is that an insurance company will step in and help.

- I want to see a solution where you can add insurance.

When you become uninsured in the event of long-term damage, it can kick in.

I think that would be appropriate.

The important thing is that it is not the clubs that always have full responsibility for the cost.

Last year, the goal was to have a pregnancy and parenting policy in place by the turn of the year, but now that summer is approaching, it is still shining with its absence.

- I am very tired of this process.

It has been a far too tenacious process.

I want to get it resolved, I do not like to let things hang.

It will be irritating of course, says Hoszek.