Child care when you work in Denmark

Check your employment contract       

If you are entitled to pay on the first day your child is sick, it must be stated in your employment contract or the local rules in your workplace. Normally, you are entitled to one day of absence with pay, and you are expected to spend the day organising care for the child if the child needs to stay at home for several days. If you are not entitled to pay on the first day your child is sick, your employer is entitled to deduct an amount from your pay on account of your absence. It is important that you check with your employer what the conditions are in your workplace.

Time off on account of serious illness

If you have a seriously ill child under the age of 18, your employer or the municipality may agree to grant you complete or partial family leave (“plejeorlov”). In that case, you will either receive full pay or compensation from the municipality. The compensation corresponds to the sickness benefits you normally receive if you yourself are sick.

Read more about child care in Denmark on borger.dk

Child care days

All public-sector employees in Denmark are entitled to child care days (“omsorgsdage”) when they can be absent with full pay to spend time with their child. If you are employed in the private sector, your employment contract will state whether you are entitled to child care days.