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Salary review 2026: The aim is to have the new salaries in place as early as December

Two person's hands in a conversation over a desk.

This year’s salary review is about to begin. The aim is for the new salaries to be paid out as early as December, which is earlier than in past years. What the process looks like for you depends on which employee organisation you belong to.

The salary review is a regular review of salaries and is governed by central collective bargaining agreements for the public sector. The timing and procedures for the review are determined following negotiations between the University and the employee organisations (trade unions) with which Lund University has collective bargaining agreements.

Aiming to pay out new salaries in December

One aim for this year’s salary review is to ensure that the new salaries can be paid out as early as December, rather than in February next year, which has been the target in previous years. An early payment means that, as an employee, you will benefit from the outcome of the salary review sooner, and that any retroactive implications for, for example, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency will be reduced if you are on parental leave or sick leave.

At the same time, it is important to bear in mind that the salary review may be delayed as a result of disagreement between the employer and the employee organisations at any stage of the process. However, all parties support the aim of making the payment in December.

How does a salary review work?

How the salary review is implemented depends on which employee organisation you belong to:

  • Members of Saco-S have their new salary determined during a salary-setting appraisal with their manager. 
  • Members of OFR/S and Seko have their new salary determined through negotiations between Lund University and the relevant employee organisation following consultations between the faculties and local employee organisation representatives. Once negotiations have been concluded, the manager informs the employee of their new salary and explains the reasons for the decision during a salary appraisal. 
  • Staff members who are not members of any employee organisation, or of any of the three employee organisations with which the University has a collective bargaining agreement, will have their new salary determined in a salary-setting appraisal with their line manager, but without the option of a dispute resolution procedure.
  • Doctoral students and teaching assistants have fixed pay rise amounts. This year, the full-time salary for doctoral students will increase by SEK 1,000 and that for teaching assistants by SEK 600 from 1 October 2026. These new salaries will be paid in November.

Who is covered by the salary review?

Anyone who is employed both on the day before and on the salary review date is normally included in the salary review. This also applies to employees who are on sick leave or parental leave.

Long-term and individual salary setting

The salary review is an important part of the University’s work on long-term and individual salary setting. The aim is for salaries to reflect responsibility, duties, performance and results, as well as contributions to the development of the organisation.

If you have any questions about the salary review or what applies to you specifically, please contact your line manager or HR in the first instance. You can also find out more on the Staff Pages:

Salary Review | Staff Pages