A mother’s leave is normally divided into 3 stages:
The right to paid leave
The right to salary during leave is conditional on the university receiving full benefit reimbursement under the Act on Entitlement to Leave and Benefits in the Event of Childbirth (barselsloven), corresponding to the maximum benefit amount in relation to your employment rate.
The condition regarding full benefit reimbursement does not apply in case of:
Employment requirement
The calculation of the employment requirement is digitised, and Udbetaling Danmark – the Public Benefits Administration is able to monitor the right to parental benefits through the income register.
The employment requirement can be met by other means – see section 27 of the Act on Entitlement to Leave and Benefits in the Event of Childbirth (Barselsloven).
More than one employer
If you receive salary from more than one employer during your maternity/paternity leave, the reimbursement will be split between these employers proportionate to the benefit amount that the individual terms of employment make you entitled to. The total disbursed benefit amount cannot exceed the maximum benefit amount, regardless of whether your total number of working hours amounts to more than full-time employment. You do not lose the right to salary, even though the university in this case will not receive full benefit reimbursement.
If your employment relationships combined exceed full-time employment, and if you start working for one of your other employers during your leave, this may lead to a reduction in the benefit reimbursement amount to the university, so this amount will be smaller than the proportionate share of the benefits related to your employment at the university. In this situation, your right to salary during leave will, however, not be affected.
However, you are not allowed to start working for a new employer during your leave if it results in a reduction of the reimbursement amount to the university or if it means that the university will no longer receive reimbursement. You are also not allowed to cause a reduction in or loss of the university’s right to benefit reimbursement under the Act on Entitlement to Leave and Benefits in the Event of Childbirth (barselsloven) in any other way. This will affect your right to salary during your maternity/paternity leave.
You are entitled to 6 weeks of absence 6 weeks prior to the expected date of childbirth. The expected date of childbirth is included in the pregnancy leave.
As a rule, your pregnancy leave is scheduled according to your general practitioner’s estimation of the expected date of childbirth. If it appears from your medical record that based on an ultrasound scan performed between week 12 and 20, the expected date of childbirth has changed, this date will be used instead. In case of a planned caesarean section, this will be the expected date of birth.
If you give birth to your child earlier than expected, your pregnancy leave will be shorter than 6 weeks.
If you give birth to your child later than expected, your pregnancy leave will be longer than 6 weeks. However, it will not imply a reduction of the maternity leave to which you are entitled after childbirth.
Subject to agreement with your immediate superior, it is possible for you to work part-time during pregnancy leave.
You must notify your immediate superior of the expected date of childbirth and the extent to which you wish to take pregnancy leave no later than 3 months prior the expected date childbirth.
In this connection, you must submit form 1 - MOTHER.
You are obligated to take maternity leave for the first 2 weeks after childbirth, after which you are entitled to maternity leave for the following 12 weeks.
If you wish to take maternity leave following the first 2 weeks after childbirth, you must notify your immediate superior of when you wish to resume work no later than 8 weeks after childbirth.
Subject to agreement with your immediate superior, you can resume work partially (not within the first 2 weeks after childbirth, however), with or without a corresponding extension of the period of leave. The Parental Leave Act does not lay down any notification rules for mothers, who wish to return to work within 8 weeks after childbirth. However, we encourage you to notify your immediate superior as soon as possible.
Subject to agreement with your immediate superior, you can also resume work fully, but the remaining weeks of maternity leave cannot be deferred to be taken later, e.g. during the period of parental leave.
In this connection, you must submit parental leave form 2.
Parental leave is normally taken from week 15 after your maternity leave. You are entitled to 32 weeks of parental leave. The child’s father is also entitled to 32 weeks of parental leave. Together, however, you are only entitled to parental leave benefits for a total of 32 weeks, which you can share between yourselves as you choose. You can take leave together, consecutively or in turns.
Parental leave consists of a paid and an unpaid part. The paid leave must always be taken first.
When you start with the unpaid part of your parental leave, you will receive a letter from Udbetaling Danmark with instructions on how to receive parental leave benefits. Please remember that it is you, and not AU, who has to apply for benefits.
As a state employee, 6 weeks of parental leave are earmarked for you as a mother. You are entitled to full pay during these 6 weeks. If the child’s father is also covered by the Danish State's Agreement on Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Parental Leave (the parental leave agreement), he is entitled to 7 weeks of parental leave with full pay. Together you are furthermore entitled to 6 weeks with full pay, which you can share between yourselves as you choose. If the child’s father is not covered by the parental leave agreement, you are entitled to the 6 additional weeks with pay, i.e. a total of 12 weeks with full pay. This applies regardless of whether the father takes more than 6 weeks of paid parental leave in accordance with different rules.
Please note that the weeks during which you are paid by the university will be deducted from your shared 32 weeks with daily benefits.
Flexible opportunities for taking parental leave:
Partial resumption of work
Subject to agreement with your immediate supervisor, you may resume work fully or partially with or without an extension of the parental leave.
Read more in the parental leave guidelines.
Extension of parental leave
You may choose to extend your parental leave from 32 weeks to 40 or 46 weeks. The total payment for the 40 or 46 weeks will correspond to the full amount of daily benefits for 32 weeks. If you choose to extend your leave, the entire period of leave must be taken consecutively.
The right to salary is conditional on the university being able to obtain a full daily benefit refund. Any extension of daily benefits will only take effect after you have taken the paid periods of leave.
See example in the parental leave guidelines.
Deferral of parental leave
Deferred leave in accordance with law
You are entitled to defer between 8 and 13 of the 32 weeks for later use (before your child turns 9). Only one of you may exercise the right to defer leave in accordance with law. If you change employer, you retain the right to take the deferred leave in accordance with law.
Deferred leave in accordance with agreement
Subject to agreement with your immediate superior, you may also choose to defer a number of weeks for later use (until your child turns 9). Both parents can enter into an agreement on deferred leave. Deferred leave in accordance with agreement can only be taken at Aarhus University.
Notice must be given of deferred parental leave no later than 16 weeks prior to taking the leave. In this connection, you must submit documentation of the deferred leave and fill in and submit leave form 3.
Employment requirement
The calculation of the employment requirement is digitised, and Udbetaling Danmark – the Public Benefits Administration is able to monitor the right to parental benefits through the income register.
The employment requirement can be met by other means – see section 27 of the Act on Entitlement to Leave and Benefits in the Event of Childbirth (Barselsloven).
The right to paid leave
The right to salary during leave is conditional on the university receiving full benefit reimbursement under the Act on Entitlement to Leave and Benefits in the Event of Childbirth (barselsloven), corresponding to the maximum benefit amount in relation to your employment rate.
The condition regarding full benefit reimbursement does not apply in case of:
More than one employer
If you receive salary from more than one employer during your maternity/paternity leave, the reimbursement will be split between these employers proportionate to the benefit amount that the individual terms of employment make you entitled to. The total disbursed benefit amount cannot exceed the maximum benefit amount, regardless of whether your total number of working hours amounts to more than full-time employment. You do not lose the right to salary, even though the university in this case will not receive full benefit reimbursement.
If your employment relationships combined exceed full-time employment, and if you start working for one of your other employers during your leave, this may lead to a reduction in the benefit reimbursement amount to the university, so this amount will be smaller than the proportionate share of the benefits related to your employment at the university. In this situation, your right to salary during leave will, however, not be affected.
However, you are not allowed to start working for a new employer during your leave if it results in a reduction of the reimbursement amount to the university or if it means that the university will no longer receive reimbursement. You are also not allowed to cause a reduction in or loss of the university’s right to benefit reimbursement under the Act on Entitlement to Leave and Benefits in the Event of Childbirth (barselsloven) in any other way. This will affect your right to salary during your maternity/paternity leave.
Fathers and non-birth mothers are entitled to two weeks of leave after childbirth or within the first 14 weeks after the birth, if this is agreed with the employer.
As of 1 January 2018, fathers and non-birth mothers are able to take their leave in non-consecutive periods, as long as the leave is taken within the first 14 weeks after the birth and has been agreed with the employer.
If you do not use your right to the two weeks of leave, you cannot transfer it to the mother and you have therefore lost the right to the two weeks of leave.
Fathers and non-birth mothers are entitled to bring their parental leave or some of it forward, so that it can be taken while the mother is on her 14 weeks of maternity leave. If you intend to bring your parental leave forward, notice must be given in accordance with the general rules, i.e. no later than eight weeks after the birth. Notice is not required if you intend to bring your parental leave forward to the first eight weeks after the birth. However, we encourage you to notify your immediate supervisor as soon as possible.
Subject to agreement with your immediate supervisor, you can resume work partially with a corresponding extension of the leave.
If you wish to take leave, you must notify your immediate supervisor of the expected date of childbirth and when you intend to take leave no later than 4 weeks prior to the expected commencement of the leave.
In this connection, you must submit form 1 - FATHER/non-birth mother. You must notify your immediate supervisor of the actual date of childbirth as soon as possible after birth.
You are entitled to 32 weeks of parental leave. The child’s mother is also entitled to 32 weeks of parental leave. Together, however, you are only entitled to parental leave benefits for a total of 32 weeks, which you are free to divide between you. You can take leave together, consecutively or in turns.
Parental leave consists of a paid and an unpaid part. The paid leave must always be taken first.
When you start with the unpaid part of your parental leave, you will receive a letter from Udbetaling Danmark with instructions on how to receive parental leave benefits. Please remember that it is you, and not AU, who has to apply for benefits.
As a state employee, seven weeks of parental leave are earmarked for you as a father/non-birth mother (extension from six to seven weeks with full pay is valid for children born 1 Apr. 2015 or later). You are entitled to full pay during these seven weeks. If the child’s mother is also covered by the Danish State's Agreement on Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Parental Leave (the parental leave agreement), she is entitled to six weeks of parental leave with full pay too. Together you are furthermore entitled to paid leave for six weeks, which you are free to divide between you. If the child’s mother is not covered by the parental leave agreement, you are entitled to the six additional weeks with pay, i.e. a total of 13 weeks with full pay. This applies regardless of whether the mother takes more than six weeks of paid parental leave in accordance with different rules.
Please note that the weeks during which you are paid by the university will be deducted from your shared 32 weeks with daily benefits.
Partial resumption of work
Subject to agreement with your immediate supervisor, you may resume work fully or partially.
Extension of parental leave
You may choose to extend your parental leave from 32 weeks to 40 or 46 weeks. The total payment for the 40 or 46 weeks will correspond to the full amount of daily benefits for 32 weeks. If you choose to extend your leave, the entire period of leave must be taken consecutively.
The right to salary is conditional on the university being able to obtain a full daily benefit refund. Any extension of daily benefits will only take effect after you have taken the paid periods of leave.
Deferral of parental leave
Deferred leave in accordance with law
You are entitled to defer between 8 and 13 of the 32 weeks for later use (before your child turns 9). Only one of you may exercise the right to defer leave in accordance with law. If you change employer, you retain the right to take the deferred leave in accordance with law.
Deferred leave in accordance with agreement
Subject to agreement with your immediate supervisor, you may also choose to defer a number of weeks for later use (until your child turns 9). Both parents can enter into an agreement on deferred leave. Deferred leave in accordance with agreement can only be taken at Aarhus University.
Notice must be given of deferred parental leave no later than 16 weeks prior to taking the leave. In this connection, you must submit documentation of the deferred leave as well as complete and submit parental leave form 3.
Employment requirement
The calculation of the employment requirement is digitised, and Udbetaling Danmark – the Public Benefits Administration is able to monitor the right to parental benefits through the income register.
The employment requirement can be met by other means – see section 27 of the Act on Entitlement to Leave and Benefits in the Event of Childbirth (Barselsloven).
The right to paid leave
The right to salary during leave is conditional on the university receiving full benefit reimbursement under the Act on Entitlement to Leave and Benefits in the Event of Childbirth (barselsloven), corresponding to the maximum benefit amount in relation to your employment rate.
The condition regarding full benefit reimbursement does not apply in case of:
More than one employer
If you receive salary from more than one employer during your maternity/paternity leave, the reimbursement will be split between these employers proportionate to the benefit amount that the individual terms of employment make you entitled to. The total disbursed benefit amount cannot exceed the maximum benefit amount, regardless of whether your total number of working hours amounts to more than full-time employment. You do not lose the right to salary, even though the university in this case will not receive full benefit reimbursement.
If your employment relationships combined exceed full-time employment, and if you start working for one of your other employers during your leave, this may lead to a reduction in the benefit reimbursement amount to the university, so this amount will be smaller than the proportionate share of the benefits related to your employment at the university. In this situation, your right to salary during leave will, however, not be affected.
However, you are not allowed to start working for a new employer during your leave if it results in a reduction of the reimbursement amount to the university or if it means that the university will no longer receive reimbursement. You are also not allowed to cause a reduction in or loss of the university’s right to benefit reimbursement under the Act on Entitlement to Leave and Benefits in the Event of Childbirth (barselsloven) in any other way. This will affect your right to salary during your maternity/paternity leave
Receiving a child in Denmark
Both adoptive parents receiving a child in Denmark are entitled to salary for up to 1 week prior to reception if the child is not already living in the adoptive parents’ home, and if the adoptive parents are going to stay where the child is located for a time prior to reception out of consideration for the child. The day on which the child is brought home is included in the period prior to reception.
In special cases, the local authorities may assess whether there is a need for the adoptive parents to stay where the child is located for a longer period prior to reception. The leave can be extended by up to 1 additional week of paid leave in such cases.
The immediate superior must be notified of the date of leave prior to the expected reception of the child as soon as possible.
In this connection, you must complete adoption leave form 1.
Receiving a child abroad
Both adoptive parents receiving a child abroad are entitled to paid leave for up to 4 weeks prior to the reception. The 4 weeks may be extended by up to another 4 weeks if the reception of the child lasts longer than the expected 4 weeks, provided that the delay is not due to the adoptive parents’ circumstances.
The leave runs from the day on which the adoptive parents leave Denmark to collect the child and lasts up to and including the day on which the formal conditions for bringing the child home to Denmark have been met. Then the general adoption leave begins regardless of whether the parents go back to Denmark immediately after the reception or remain abroad for a time afterwards.
In this connection, you must submit adoption leave form 1.
The adoption leave begins the day after the formal conditions for bringing the child home have been met. The employer must be provided with documentation of the date of reception of the child on request.
As an adoptive parent, you are entitled to paid leave for 14 weeks after reception of the child. The adoptive parents can share the 14 weeks of leave between them, but they can only take leave one at a time.
One of the adoptive parents may take two consecutive weeks of leave within the first 14 weeks following reception of the child. As of 1 January 2018, these two weeks of leave can be taken in non-consecutive periods, as long as the leave is taken within the first 14 weeks after the birth and has been agreed with the employer. Therefore, the adoptive parents can be on leave together during this period.
One of the adoptive parents is entitled to bring his/her parental leave (32 weeks) or part of it forward, so that it can be taken while the other adoptive parent is on leave during the first 14 weeks.
In this connection, you must submit adoption leave form 2.
You are entitled to 32 weeks of parental leave. The other adoptive parent is also entitled to 32 weeks of parental leave. Together, however, you are only entitled to parental leave benefits for a total of 32 weeks, which you can share between yourselves as you choose. You can take leave together, consecutively or in turns.
Parental leave consists of a paid and an unpaid part. The paid leave must always be taken first.
When you start with the unpaid part of your parental leave, you will receive a letter from Udbetaling Danmark with instructions on how to receive parental leave benefits. Please remember that it is you, and not AU, who has to apply for benefits.
As a state employee, one of the adoptive parents is entitled to pay for 6 of the 32 weeks of parental leave. Child´s other adoptive parent, as a state employee, is entitled to 7 weeks of pay during the same period of time. If the adoptive parents are a man and a woman, the man is entitled to the 7 weeks of pay. This extension from 6 to 7 weeks with pay is valid for children received 1 April 2015 or later.
Together you are furthermore entitled to 6 weeks with full pay, which you can share between yourselves as you choose. If the child’s other parent is not covered by the parental leave agreement, you are entitled to the 6 additional weeks with pay, i.e. a total of 12 (13) weeks with full pay. This applies regardless of whether the other parent takes more than 6 weeks of paid parental leave in accordance with different rules.
Please note that the weeks during which you are paid by the university will be deducted from your shared 32 weeks with daily benefits.
Partial resumption of work
Subject to agreement with your immediate supervisor, you may resume work fully or partially with or without an extension of the parental leave.
Read more in the parental leave guidelines.
Extension of parental leave
You may choose to extend your parental leave from 32 weeks to 40 or 46 weeks. The total payment for the 40 or 46 weeks will correspond to the full amount of daily benefits for 32 weeks. If you choose to extend your leave, the entire period of leave must be taken consecutively.
The right to salary is conditional on the university being able to obtain a full daily benefit refund. Any extension of daily benefits will only take effect after you have taken the paid periods of leave.
Deferral of parental leave
Deferred leave in accordance with law
You are entitled to defer between 8 and 13 of the 32 weeks for later use (before your child turns 9). Only one of you may exercise the right to defer leave in accordance with law. If you change employer, you retain the right to take the deferred leave in accordance with law.
Deferred leave in accordance with agreement
Subject to agreement with your immediate superior, you may also choose to defer a number of weeks for later use (until your child turns 9). Both parents can enter into an agreement on deferred leave. Deferred leave in accordance with agreement can only be taken at Aarhus University.
Notice must be given of deferred parental leave no later than 16 weeks prior to taking the leave. In this connection, you must submit documentation of the deferred leave.