At a glance
- Sweden has proposed a new standalone Platform Work Act (Act) to implement the EU Platform Work Directive (Directive) by 2 December 2026.
- The Act aims to strengthen protections for platform workers, particularly those operating through digital labour platforms.
- A key feature is a presumption of employment when a worker shows indications that the platform directs and controls their work.
- The proposal also introduces transparency obligations around algorithmic management and automated decision‑making.
- The draft legislation is open for consultation until 31 March 2026, after which the government will determine next steps.
The Swedish government inquiry tasked with implementing the Directive has published its recommendations. To meet the requirement to transpose the Directive by 2 December 2026, the inquiry proposes introducing a new, standalone Act.
The objective of the Act is to strengthen protection for individuals working through digital labour platforms. A central component is a new presumption of employment, which would apply where a person performing platform work can demonstrate circumstances indicating that the work is carried out under the direction and control of the digital platform. This is intended to provide greater clarity on when platform workers should be classified as employees.
The proposal also addresses algorithmic management, introducing new obligations on platforms to provide transparency and information regarding automated decision‑making that affects workers.
The draft legislation is now open for consultation until 31 March 2026, after which the government will consider how to proceed.
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