Salary during parental leave

Employed in the state, region, or municipality

As a public sector employee, you are covered by the collective agreement for the state, region, or municipality, including the associated parental leave provisions.

Salary during parental leave in municipalities and regions

Mother’s entitlement to full salary:

8 weeks before birth
14 weeks after birth (maternity leave)
6 weeks after birth (parental leave)
Possible shared salary entitlement (see below)

Father or co-mother’s entitlement to full salary:

2 weeks (paternity leave)
10 weeks (parental leave)
Possible shared salary entitlement (see below)

Salary during parental leave in the state sector

Mother’s entitlement to full salary:

6 weeks before birth
10 weeks after birth (maternity leave)
10 weeks after birth (parental leave)
Possible shared salary entitlement (see below)

Father or co-mother’s entitlement to full salary:

2 weeks (paternity leave)
10 weeks (parental leave)
Possible shared salary entitlement (see below)

Shared salary entitlement

In addition to the earmarked leave, employees in municipalities, regions, and the state have 6 weeks of parental leave with salary that can be shared between the mother and the father/co-mother.

In practice, this shared salary entitlement only applies to parents who are employed under the same collective agreement. However, if you are employed under two different agreements that both include shared salary entitlement, both parents may use the 6 weeks.

Salary entitlement for parents of multiples and solo parents

Parents of multiples are each entitled to an additional 13 weeks of leave. This also applies to adoptive parents if the children are under 1 year old at the time of placement.

Solo parents are entitled to an additional 10 weeks of leave. This also applies in cases of adoption.

Be aware of the rules regarding flexibility in planning your parental leave and the various options for postponing paid leave.

The right to full salary during parental leave is conditional upon your employer receiving the public parental benefit (reimbursement) that you are entitled to.

Fixed-term employment

If you are employed in a fixed-term public sector position, you are covered by the rules on parental and adoption leave for the duration of your employment. If your contract ends before you have taken all your paid leave, you will lose the remaining paid leave.

Employed in the private sector

As a private sector employee, your salary during parental leave is regulated by the Danish Salaried Employees Act (funktionærloven), potentially a private collective agreement, and your individual employment contract or your workplace’s personnel policy.

According to the Danish Salaried Employees Act, pregnant employees are entitled to half salary for 4 weeks before the birth and 14 weeks after the birth.

All academic employees are generally covered by the Danish Salaried Employees Act.

Parental Leave Funds and Equalisation Schemes

Private employers must be registered with a parental leave fund (barselsfond) or a parental leave equalisation scheme (barselsudligningsordning). These schemes allow employers to receive reimbursement when they pay full or partial salary during parental leave to an employee who is entitled to public parental benefits.

The reimbursement covers the difference between the public parental benefit and the salary paid during leave, up to a fixed maximum reimbursement cap. The cap may vary depending on which scheme the employer contributes to. In most cases, this means it is cost-neutral for the employer to pay the additional amount to the employee.

You can read more about the equalisation scheme at barsel.dk. If your employer contributes to a private parental leave fund, you can find more information on the fund’s website.

Parental Leave Fund and Employment Contract

DM recommends that the agreement on salary during parental leave—based on the rules of the equalisation scheme—is included in your employment contract. You and your employer can also draft a short addendum to your current contract to ensure compliance with the rules.

For example, you could write:

"During parental leave, the employee will receive, at minimum, a salary equivalent to the maximum reimbursement for the period in which the company is eligible for salary reimbursement under the Parental Leave Equalisation Act (barselsudligningsloven)."

Salary During Illness and Parental Leave

Under the Danish Salaried Employees Act, you are entitled to full salary during illness, but only half salary during parental leave. This can raise questions about whether salary during a period of illness prior to the start of pregnancy leave should be paid as sick pay or parental leave pay.

The decisive factor for whether you are entitled to full salary is whether the parental leave period is considered to have started.

If you become unable to work due to pregnancy before your pregnancy leave begins, you are generally considered to be on sick leave and entitled to full salary.

Student or recent graduate

If you are a student

If you receive SU (student grants), you may be eligible for extra SU months during parental leave. You may also qualify for parental benefits if certain conditions are met.

You can receive parental benefits in these three situations:

1. You have a regular job alongside your studies

If you’re employed, you may be entitled to salary or parental benefits during leave. Eligibility depends on your contract and working hours. You must have worked at least 160 hours over the past 4 months, with 40 hours in at least 3 of those months.

If your job qualifies as a salaried position (e.g. office work averaging 8+ hours/week), you may be entitled to half salary under the Danish Salaried Employees Act—4 weeks before and 14 weeks after birth. If your salary is below the full benefit rate, it can be supplemented.

2. You are in paid internship (praktik)

You’re eligible for parental benefits if your leave starts during a paid internship—not during regular classroom instruction

3. You take leave from studies and register as unemployed

If you pause your studies, stop SU, and register with an a-kasse and job center, you may receive parental benefits—provided you qualify for unemployment benefits (e.g. based on completed education).

You can transfer leave weeks to the other parent even if you’re not eligible for parental benefits yourself. The other parent may receive benefits if they meet the requirements.

· As a mother, you can usually transfer up to 14 weeks.

As a father or co-mother, you can usually transfer up to 22 weeks

If you are a new or recent graduate

If you give birth late in your studies and part of your parental leave falls after graduation, you are entitled to public parental benefits from the point at which you become eligible for unemployment benefits from your unemployment insurance fund (a-kasse).

Graduates are eligible for unemployment benefits one month after the date of registration with the a-kasse (known as the qualifying or waiting month).

As a graduate, you must therefore register with an a-kasse as soon as you receive pre-approval of your thesis, and no later than 14 days after completing your education.

Parental benefits are paid at a rate equivalent to what you would receive in unemployment benefits. The graduate rate is 82% of the full unemployment benefit rate.

If you have a child after completing your education, you are entitled to public parental benefits immediately—provided you register with an a-kasse no later than 14 days after graduation, or if you completed your education within the past month.

For more information, visit the SU Agency’s website and contact your a-kasse.

PhD or employed at a university

Adoptive parents