The issue of how public holidays and planning days affect the obligation to offer minimum hours at preschool to the children of people who are unemployed or on parental leave

Summary of the decision: Pursuant to Section 6 of Chapter 8 of the Swedish Education Act (SFS 2010:800), the child of someone who is unemployed or on parental leave must be offered at least three hours of preschool per day, or 15 hours a week. The Act does not regulate how these hours are to be allocated over the course of the week but leaves this for the municipal organiser of the activities to determine.

However, pursuant to Section 3 of Chapter 8 of the Education Act, there is no obligation to offer preschool on major public holidays. It may also be necessary to close preschools on occasion for planning days. As such, as long as a municipality offers preschool for three hours per day, there is no obligation to offer preschool on major public holidays or planning days. According to the Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman, this also applies to a municipality that has instead chosen to offer more hours on fewer days when these days fall on a major public holiday or planning day.

The Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman notes that the above constitutes a minimum requirement. A municipality may decide on more hours and a different and more generous arrangement.