Background & Purpose

Public employees such as teachers, social workers, and healthcare staff are frequently subjected to threats, violence, and harassment while doing their jobs. To counter this, the Swedish government proposed legal changes to make workplaces safer.

Proposals & Debate

The government proposed raising the penalty scales for crimes directed at public servants, introducing a brand-new criminal offense called insulting a public official, and allowing authorities to hide decision-makers' names in written notices in certain security-sensitive situations.

The Decision

The Swedish parliament approved the government's legislative package, creating harsher legal consequences for those who threaten or attack public sector workers.

Does this affect you?

  • Public sector workers: Receive stronger legal protection against threats, violence, and harassment in their daily work.
  • Authorities and agencies: Gain the legal right to hide employees' names in specific written decisions to increase personal safety.

In Practice

  • Anyone who commits violence or threats against a public employee will face significantly harsher punishments.
  • A brand-new crime named insulting a public official is established, making verbal abuse and harassment carry clear legal consequences.
  • Public authorities are given explicit support to sometimes omit the names of individual decision-makers from written documents to protect them from personal targeting.
  • The updated laws take full effect across Sweden on July 2, 2025.