Parental allowance for parental leave when working in Denmark

The right to parental allowance - barselsdagpenge

Maternity benefit or parental allowance is in Danish called "barselsdagpenge". It is paid to give you an income during pregnancy, or in conjunction with birth or adoption. The authority "Udbetaling Danmark" decides whether you are eligible for barselsdagpenge. The requirement is:

• You must be employed by the day before or on the first day of your parental leave.
• You should have worked for at least 160 hours in the last four full months before your parental leave.
• You must have worked for at least 40 hours a month for at least three of the four months.

Udbetaling Danmark automatically receives this information from your employer.

Read more in our article about parental leave in Denmark

Agreements affect parental allowance amounts in Denmark

The precise conditions that apply to you depend on the agreement at your workplace and in your employment contract. In some cases, the employer pays your full salary during the whole or parts of your parental leave. If this is not the case, you have the right to an allowance and should contact Udbetaling Danmark. Check with your employer to find out what applies in your workplace.

Amount when you have the right to Danish parental allowance

The allowance during parental leave is calculated as an amount per week. The amount depends on how much you work. There may also be agreements in your workplace, which give you the right to your salary during parental leave. Therefore it is important to check with your employer to see what applies in your case.

Contact Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) at Øresunddirekt's Information center in Malmö.

Contact Øresunddirekt