Overview of leave

Entitlement to take leave defines your right to to be absent from work, including when and for how long leave may be taken in connection with childbirth, both before and after the birth of the child.

Mother’s entitlement to take leave

• You are entitled to take leave for 6 weeks prior to the expected date of birth.
• You are entitled to take leave for 10 weeks during the first 10 weeks following the birth.
• You are entitled to take leave for 32 weeks following the first 10 weeks after the birth.

Father/co-mother’s entitlement to take leave

• You are entitled to take leave for 2 weeks within the first 10 weeks following the birth.
• You are entitled to take leave for 32 weeks, which may be taken within or after the first 10 weeks following the birth.

Extension of leave

• Both parents are entitled to extend the leave period of 32 weeks by up to 14 weeks, resulting in a total leave period of up to 46 weeks.

Special situations

Special situations can affect your entitlement to take leave, for example:

• If you are a solo parent
• If you have multiples (twins, triplets, etc.)

For more information about special situations, see Lifeindenmark.dk.

Entitlement to salary during leave specifies when you are eligible to receive salary during leave. Full salary is conditional on DTU receiving full reimbursement of your parental benefits.

Mother’s entitlement to salary

You are entitled to 6 weeks of paid pregnancy leave up to and including the birth.
After the birth, you may receive salary for up to 26 weeks, provided you use all 6 shared weeks of parental leave:

• 10 weeks maternity leave
• 10 weeks parental leave
• 6 weeks shared parental leave*

*To use the full entitlement to salary for 26 weeks, at least 2 weeks of parental benefits must be transferred from the child’s father/co-mother. If not, you will receive reduced salary during the last 2 weeks (weeks 25 and 26).

Leave beyond these weeks will be without salary.

Father/co-mother's entitlement to salary

You are entitled to 2 weeks of paid paternity/co-mother leave and up to 16 weeks of salary after the birth, provided the 6 shared weeks of parental leave are used:

• 2 weeks paternity/co-mother leave
• 10 weeks parental leave
• 6 weeks shared parental leave

Leave beyond these weeks will be without salary.

Shared entitlement to salary (the 6 shared weeks of parental leave)

• If both parents are employed by the state, the 6 shared weeks can be divided between you.
• If only one parent is employed by the state, that parent will receive the maximum entitlement to salary.

Conditions

• To receive full salary during leave, the parental benefits must be available, and you must meet the employment requirement (beskæftigelseskravet) for parental benefits.
• To secure reimbursement, follow any instructions and submit the required forms from Udbetaling Danmark.
• Failure to comply may result in salary deductions, reduced salary, unpaid leave, or using other time off instead of leave.

Special situations

Special situations can affect your entitlement to salary during leave, for example:

• If you are a solo parent
• If you have multiples (twins, triplets, etc.)

For more information about special situations, see Lifeindenmark.dk.

Entitlement to parental benefits defines how many weeks of parental benefits you are eligible for during leave.

By default, each parent is entitled to 24 weeks of leave with parental benefits after the birth, if you live together at the time of birth.

Earmarked leave

• Earmarked leave cannot be transferred to the other parent.
• Earmarked leave must be taken before the child turns 1 year old. If not taken, the entitlement to parental benefits will lapse.

Transferable leave

• Up to 13 weeks of leave can be transferred to the other parent.
• This allows one parent to take more than 24 weeks of leave with parental benefits if the other parent has transferred leave.

Salary and parental benefits

• Entitlement to full salary during leave depends on DTU receiving full reimbursement of parental benefits.
• While on paid leave, DTU receives the parental benefits. These weeks count as weeks with parental benefits.
• If you take leave without salary, parental benefits are paid directly to you, provided they are available.

Conditions

• Entitlement to parental benefits requires that you meet the employment requirement (beskæftigelseskravet).

Special situations

Certain circumstances can affect how parental benefits are allocated, for example:

• If you do not live together
• If you are a solo parent
• If you have multiples (twins, triplets, etc.)

For more information about special situations, see Lifeindenmark.dk.