Sickness benefits in Denmark

Collective Agreement

If your employer has signed the collective agreements with the unions, then you are properly entitled to sick pay during illness.
If you have had an occupational injury, you are entitled to sick pay, regardless of how long you have been employed by the company.
If you are ill for other reasons, you must have worked for the employer for at least three months to be entitled to sick pay.

However, you must be entitled to sick-benefit according to the law.
It varies from collective agreement to collective agreement how much and for how long you are entitled to pay during illness. Contact your union for more information on this.

Sick-benefit law

Sick-benefit is paid by the municipality, and is less than the sick pay in the Collective agreements.

National health Insurance

If your employer does not have a collective agreement with the union or if you have not worked for your employer for more than three months, then you may be able to get sick benefit (sygedagpenge) instead. Sick benefit is paid by the municipality, and is less than the sick pay in the Collective agreements.

What is required of me to get sick benefits in Denmark?

You must have worked for at least 240 hours, in Denmark, within the last 6 completed calendar months prior to the first day of illness and in 5 of these months you must have worked at least 40 hours in each month. Unless you have been exposed to a work injury.

Sick because of a work injury

If you have been exposed to an occupational injury, you are entitled to sick benefit from the first day of illness, even if you do not meet the above conditions. However, the payment of the sick benefit only will only be paid out when the occupational injury has been recognized by the Labor Market Insurance (Arbejdsmarkedets Erhvervssikring). It can take a very long time to get your work injury recognized.

Who pays the sick benefits to you?

It is the employer's responsibility to pay the sick benefits into your account for the first 30 sick days if you have been employed by the employer for at least 8 weeks and you have worked at least 74 hours during the 8 weeks.

If you do not meet this requirement, the municipality will pay the money to your account.

How do I get the sick money?

In order for you to receive sick benefits, your employer must provide information about your illness electronically to nemrefusion. You will receive a digital letter in the E-box, and you must reply to this letter and hand it in to the municipality, within 8 days after you have received the letter.

Your union will help you with all of this, but you should contact us as soon as you become ill.