The Equality Ombudsman has been effective in using the new discrimination compensation

Policy Response DateDecember 1, 2010 Country: Sweden Address: Stockholm General Type: Discrimination, Equality/Integration Racism and discrimination phenomena: Islamophobia, Afrophobia, Anti-roma/zinghanophobia, Homophobia, On grounds of disability, On grounds of other belief
Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants, Roma & Travelers, Ethnic minorities, Religious minorities, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, Persons with disability Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Employment - labour market, Housing, Health and social protection, Education

The new discrimination compensation as new potentially innovative tool, replaces the concept of damages, since damages tended to be substantially low. Therefore, a new concept of compensation has been imposed as a sanction to raise both compensations and settlement payments to real deterrent levels.  The Equality Ombudsman reported in its annual report 2010 that the new sanctions have been effective in terms of increased claims in the authority's lawsuits and higher remuneration in the settlements. The highest compensation during 2010 was 200 000 SEK (20 000 euro). This can be compared to 100 000 SEK (10.000 euro) in the previous damage sanctions

The Equality Ombudsman, Annual Report 2010 p. 42,  http://www.do.se/Documents/Material/%C3%85rsredovisningar/arsredovisningdo2010.pdf