At a glance
- New rights will take effect on 1 January 2026, extending parents’ right to leave and maternity benefits from a maximum of three months to a maximum of 12 months in connection with hospitalised newborn children.
- The right to unemployment benefits during bereavement leave has also recently been extended for parents who lose a child and who have lost earnings by caring for their sick child at home for more than two years.
The Danish Parliament has adopted a bill amending the Danish Act on Maternity Leave.
Parents' right to leave and maternity benefits will be extended from a total maximum of three months to a maximum of 12 months for each parent when a newborn child is hospitalised.
In addition, so-called 'early home stay', where treatment is given at home, will be equated with hospitalisation.
This amendment will enter into force on 1 January 2026 and will apply to parents of children born on 1 January 2026 or later.
Further, the right to unemployment benefits during bereavement leave has been extended for parents who lose a child and who have lost earnings by caring for their sick child at home for more than two years. This will be implemented by allowing all periods during which the parent has lost earnings to be disregarded when calculating the employment requirement for the right to unemployment benefits during bereavement leave. This amendment is already in force.
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