Information for IF Metall members at Northvolt

Northvolt's future is uncertain, and we understand that you as an employee and member of IF Metall have many questions about what is happening and how it affects you. IF Metall are here to help you – read on to find answers to the most common questions right now. For more information and personal advice and support, contact one of IF Metall's ombudsmen or an elected representative.

Questions and answers for members about Northvolt's bankruptcy

What happens now that the company has been declared bankrupt?

Your employment does not end until you have been dismissed and your notice period has expired. It is important that you report to work as usual until you are notified otherwise

In the event of a bankruptcy, a bankruptcy trustee steps in and makes decisions about the company and its assets. The bankruptcy trustee also investigates whether the company can continue to be run in some form. The bankruptcy trustee also decides whether employees should receive compensation from the state wage guarantee, which can provide compensation for unpaid wages in the event of a bankruptcy. Read more about the state wage guarantee further on in the text.

How will I cope financially if it takes a while for me to receive salary or compensation from the state wage guarantee?

At every level of the union, IF Metall's representatives are doing everything we can right now to help and support our members in the situation that has arisen. Our trade union officials and elected representatives will help you throughout the course of the bankruptcy. If relevant, they can provide guidance in the process of finding a new job as well as gaining access to various types of financial support to which you may be entitled if your employment is terminated. Read more about what to do and what help you can get if you become unemployed further on in the text.

Why should I remain a union member if the company goes bankrupt?

Various forms of support and help for members who become unemployed are included in the membership and ensured via your collective agreement. To be able to access these benefits, you must of course remain a member of the union. Read more about why you should join the union here. Information about what you need to do if you become unemployed and the support you can get as a member of IF Metall can be found further on in this text.

Do I have to continue paying membership fees if I become unemployed?

Yes, but members who have no income or are unemployed pay the minimum membership fee of SEK 244 a month (valid for 2025).

State wage guarantee

Employees who work for companies that go bankrupt can receive compensation from the state wage guarantee if their employer cannot pay their wages. The guarantee also covers employees who are not Swedish citizens.

The wage guarantee must cover earned wages or salary from the date the company filed for bankruptcy and a maximum of three months back in time. The wage guarantee must also cover wages/salary earned during the notice period, holiday pay, and unused holiday days. However, a maximum of four price base amounts (which in 2025 corresponds to SEK 235,200) can be paid out over a maximum of eight months in total.

You need to be able to show how much you would have received in salary/wages and other compensation, and it is therefore important to have your most recent pay slips and employment agreement at hand.

It is the person appointed as the bankruptcy trustee or administrator of the company’s restructuring who decides that the wage guarantee should be used to cover wages/salary. After that, it is the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) that is responsible for payment. IF Metall’s trade union officials and elected representatives will help you ensure that you receive the correct compensation.

You should prepare for the fact that it may take time before the compensation is paid. How long it takes depends on how quickly the authorities can make the necessary decisions and how quickly it can be determined what compensation each individual should receive. Read more at Skatteverket.

Support and assistance in case of unemployment

It is important that you register as a job seeker with the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) from the your first day of unemployment or exemption from work. You can do this by visiting the Swedish Public Employment Service’s local office or via their website, using your bank ID. Registering as a job seeker is often a prerequisite for being able to receive various types of support and help, such as unemployment insurance benefits.

Your union representatives must be able to reach you with information, even if you have left the workplace. It is therefore important that IF Metall has y correct contact details for you. Log in to the member pages, select “Dina uppgifter” (“Your information” in the menu on the left, and update your phone number and email address.

Under the following headings, you will find general and briefly summarized information about what forms of help and support IF Metall can offer if you become unemployed. IF Metall’s trade union officials and elected representatives can guide you further and tell you more.

Unemployment insurance fund (A-kassa)

If you are a member of IF Metall, you are also a member of IF Metall’s unemployment insurance fund (A-kassa). To be able to apply for compensation from the unemployment insurance fund, you must actively look for a job and be registered as a job seeker with the Swedish Public Employment Service.

Contact the unemployment insurance fund directly to find out more about rules and conditions and what applies to you personally.

Income insurance

IF Metall membership includes an income insurance that can supplement the compensation from the unemployment insurance fund, so that you receive a total of 80 percent of your previous income for a longer period of time than you would from the unemployment insurance fund alone. To receive income insurance benefits, you must have received a decision granting you the right to income-related compensation from IF Metall’s unemployment insurance fund and have been a member of IF Metall for 12 months before you became unemployed. Membership in another trade union with income insurance can also count. Read more about income insurance here.

Severance Allowance (AGB)

Via the collective agreement and the so-called main agreement, severance pay insurance (AGB) is provided for workers between 40 and 64 years of age who have worked at one or more workplaces with a collective agreement for at least 50 months in the past five years. AGB can entitled such workers to a lump sum of at least SEK 41,558 or a maximum of SEK 60,423, depending on age. Read more about the General Terms and Conditions here.

Transition support

Through the collective agreement and the so-called main agreement, you have access to adjustment support to help you find a new job. Via the transition organization TSL, you get your own free job coach who helps you in your job search and contact with various authorities. If it can improve your chances of finding a new job, you can also receive training or validation to strengthen and prove your professional skills. To receive transition support, you must be less than 65 years old and have worked for at least 12 of the last 24 months. Workers who are at least 27 years old and who enroll in a lengthy course or education program can also receive study support equivalent to up to 80 percent of their salary/wages. Read more about the terms and conditions, what support you can get, and how to apply at TSL.se.