Dismissed from your job in Denmark
If you are dismissed while working in Denmark, your notice period and rights depend on your employment contract and the rules that apply to your employment. Find out what you need to know about dismissal, release from duties and what to do when your employment ends.
Notice periods when you are dismissed in Denmark
Many employees in Denmark are covered by the Danish Act on Salaried Employees, Funktionærloven. If the Act applies to you, your employer’s notice period depends on how long you have been employed:
- Up to 6 months: 1 month
- 6 months to 3 years: 3 months
- 3 to 6 years: 4 months
- 6 to 9 years: 5 months
- More than 9 years: 6 months
Different notice periods may apply if you are not permanently employed or have only been employed for a short period. Check your employment contract to see which rules apply to you.
Read about resignation and termination under Funktionærloven at Life in Denmark
Reasons for dismissal in Denmark
Your employer cannot dismiss you for reasons such as pregnancy, adoption or a claim for equal pay. If there is a dispute, your employer may need to show that the dismissal was based on other grounds, such as financial circumstances or difficulties in the working relationship.
Different rules may apply if you are dismissed due to sickness. If you are covered by Funktionærloven, your employment contract may include the 120-day rule. Under certain conditions, this allows your employer to dismiss you with shorter notice if you have received salary during sickness for a total of 120 days within 12 consecutive months.
In cases of serious misconduct, such as theft, you may be dismissed with immediate effect. In Danish, this is called bortvisning.
If you are a member of a Danish trade union, contact your union for advice if you disagree with your dismissal or believe you have been treated unfairly.
Release from duties, suspension or lay-off due to bad weather
In some cases, you may be released from your duties, fritstillet, during your notice period. This means that you do not have to work during the notice period, but you continue to receive your full salary.
If you are suspended, suspenderet, you do not normally go to work, but you must remain available to your employer and may be asked to carry out certain tasks. You continue to receive your salary and other benefits during the notice period.
Some types of work in Denmark may be temporarily suspended due to bad weather, vejrlig. If you are laid off due to bad weather, you do not receive your salary but may be entitled to benefits from your Danish unemployment insurance fund, a-kasse.
See our page about Danish unemployment insurance funds
If you become unemployed after working in Denmark
If you live in Sweden and become fully unemployed after working in Denmark, Swedish unemployment insurance rules apply. Register with the Swedish Public Employment Service, Arbetsförmedlingen, on your first day of unemployment.
Different rules apply if you become partially unemployed and continue working in Denmark.
See our page about unemployment insurance for cross-border workers
If you resign from your job in Denmark
If you resign from your job in Denmark, your notice period depends on the terms of your employment. If you are covered by Funktionærloven, you normally have to give 1 month's notice to the end of a calendar month.
Different rules may apply during a probationary period or for short-term employment. Check your employment contract to find the notice period that applies to you.
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Stop working in Denmark – What you need to know
Are you leaving your work in Denmark?
Look through our checklist to find out what important steps you need to take.
