Swedish man paid salary of two kronor

When salesman Rickard Dunker opened his payslip he got something of a shock. For one month's work he had been paid a total of three kronor. After tax had been deducted, his monthly income was reduced to a grand total of two kronor.

• Sweden's job coach system a 'fiasco': report (22 Feb 11)
• Swedish CEO salaries 'unacceptable': union (7 Feb 11)
• Swedish employers want good-looking staff: study (7 Feb 11)
• Young Swedish workers abuse sick leave: study (3 Feb 11)

Dunker's job as a salesman for Easycare, selling First Aid products, had begun well. He threw himself into the job and travelled around Dalarna, northern Sweden, in his own car, visiting potential customers.

During the month he clocked up over 3000 kilometres (1850 miles) and paid out over 10000 kronor ($1555) in petrol. He claims he sold over 20,000 kronor's worth of products for the company. For all this work, he was rewarded with a paltry two kronor, after tax.

"I couldn't imagine that such a thing was possible," he told a reporter at the newspaper Dala-Demokraten.

According to his ex-employers, he travelled too far and made too few sales. Something which they claim is quite clear in his contract. Lars Andersson, head of Easycare in Borlänge thinks he is a bad salesman.

"It's a tough branch. If he thinks he's been cheated we should take it up in court. There's nothing wrong with the contract which he agreed to and signed." Andersson told a reporter at Dala-Demokraten

Dunker is no longer working for the company and wants to warn others to go through their contracts with a fine toothcomb.

He has not commented as to what he plans to spend his two kronor wages on.