How long is parental leave in Denmark?

Parental leave in Denmark consists of several components:

• Each parent is entitled to 24 weeks of leave following the birth or adoption of a child. This entitlement includes specific allocations: for mothers, 2 weeks of mandatory maternity leave following the birth and 8 additional weeks, and for fathers or co-mothers, 2 weeks of paternity leave. Adoptive parents receive 6 weeks of leave within the first 10 weeks of the child’s arrival and an additional 18 weeks of parental leave.

• Parents cannot transfer 11 of the 24 weeks earmarked for each parent (2 weeks of maternity or paternity leave and 9 weeks of parental leave must be taken within the first year).

• Non-earmarked parental leave consists of 13 weeks that can be taken concurrently or separately as per the parents' choice.

• In the case of single parents (effective January 1, 2024), there is an entitlement to 46 weeks of parental leave, with the option to transfer a part of this leave to a close family member, like a sibling or grandparent.

• LGBT+ families also have the flexibility to share leave weeks with the social parents of the child, who could be the legal parent's spouse, cohabitant partner of the legal parent, or a known donor's spouse.

Overall, the parental leave system in Denmark is designed to be flexible and inclusive, accommodating various family structures and promoting shared responsibility in child-rearing.

How long is maternity leave in Denmark?

In Denmark, pregnant women have the right to 4 weeks of leave before birth and 10 weeks of maternity leave following the birth. Fathers and co-mothers are entitled to 2 weeks of paternity leave in connection with the birth.

After the initial 10 weeks of maternity leave, each parent has the right to 32 weeks of parental leave. This parental leave can be extended from 32 to 40 weeks by all parents. However, working parents have the option to extend their leave from 32 to 46 weeks. Extensions are only possible by increments of 8 or 14 weeks.

For children born on or after August 2, 2022, each parent is entitled to 24 weeks of maternity leave benefits following the birth. There are specific rules for single parents or parents who do not live together.

What are the eligibility rules for maternity leave in Denmark?

To be eligible for maternity leave benefits in Denmark, employees must meet the following conditions:

• They must have worked in Denmark for the last 4 whole months.
• They should have employment on the day before their leave starts or on the first day of the leave.
• They must have worked at least 160 hours during the last 4 whole months prior to their leave.
• They must have worked a minimum of 40 hours per month for at least 3 of those 4 months.

Employees who have relocated to Denmark from another European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) country less than 4 whole months before their leave can include their employment time in the previous country as part of the 160 total hours and the 40 hours per month requirement. However, it is essential that employees are employed in Denmark prior to their leave to receive maternity benefits.

Additionally, it is a requirement for employees to spend time physically present with their child every day to receive benefits.

How is maternity leave payment calculated in Denmark?

In Denmark, maternity leave payment for female salaried employees is managed by Udbetaling Danmark. Generally, these employees are entitled to 50% of their salary during maternity leave. However, based on their individual employment agreements or collective bargaining agreements, they may receive their full salary for some part of their maternity leave. Employers who pay the full salary during maternity leave may be eligible for reimbursement from Udbetaling Danmark.

What is the process for applying for maternity leave in Denmark?

An employee is entitled to maternity pay if the person concerned is employed the day before the absence or on the first day of absence and has been employed for at least 160 hours within the last 4 completed calendar months and in at least 3 of these months has been employed for at least 40 hours in each month.

To apply for maternity leave in Denmark, the supported employee should:

• contact Velocity Global Denmark and the client to inform about the maternity leave period and birth date of the child
• submit the request through our Global Work Platform™ under the "Maternity Leave Policy"

The client should:

• contact Velocity Global Denmark to approve in writing the maternity leave (also to approve the leave on the employee's profile).
• inform Velocity Global Denmark is the maternity leave is paid or unpaid and about any vacation planned in connection with the leave

Application Process

Reporting Leave

• Employers must report the employee’s parental leave via the NemRefusion portal on: https://virk.dk/
• Details such as leave dates and salary must be provided.

Reimbursement Requests

• Applications for refunds from Udbetaling Danmark and https://virk.dk/vejledning/barsel-dk/ are submitted through NemRefusion.
• The system automatically processes claims for both reimbursement sources.

How long is the paternity leave in Denmark?

In Denmark, paternity leave consists of:

• 2 consecutive weeks (or non-consecutive if the employer agrees) within the 14 weeks after the birth.
• An additional 32 weeks of parental leave.

What are the eligibility rules for paternity leave in Denmark?

Employees in Denmark must meet the following criteria to be eligible for paternity benefits:

• Have been employed for at least 13 weeks.
• Have worked a minimum of 120 hours.

Eligibility extends to both biological fathers and employees (male or female) who are legally, but not biologically, the child's parent.