3.1.6.DK-i.6 Parental leave (Orlov til børnepasning)
3.1.6.1. Aim
The aim of the parental leave scheme is to make it possible for parents to take leave to take care of their children and to create job rotation on the labour market
3.1.6.2. Legal basis
The (Consolidation) Act on leave, no. 1060 of 20 December 1995.
3.1.6.3. Contents
Parental leave may be given for consecutive periods from 13 to 52 weeks. The target group are persons in employment, self-employed persons and unemployed persons with children in the age group 0-8 years. Both parents may (together or separately) obtain leave for up to 52 weeks for each of their children between 0-8 years.
For employees and self-employed persons it is a condition that the person concerned qualifies for cash benefits in the event of sickness and maternity. Employees have a right to leave for 13 weeks (26 weeks if the child is under 1 year old). The remaining period is subject to agreement with the employer. As regards unemployed persons it is a condition that the person concerned qualifies for unemployment benefit or is receiving social assistance.
3.1.6.4. Financial resources
During the period of parental leave a leave benefit is paid which corresponds to (up to) 70% of the maximum rate of unemployment benefit. As from 1 April 1997 the benefit will reduced to 60%. The municipal authorities may supplement the leave benefit by a subsidy of up to DKR 35,000
3.1.6.5. Institutional support
The administration of the leave schemes is the responsibility of the public employment service which also has to offer its assistance in connection with the introduction of job rotation arrangements. The Act on leave schemes must be seen in the context of the Act on an active labour market policy so that the public employment service may contribute - through guidance to employed persons about the possibilities for taking leave and about training and further training opportunities - to ensuring that leave schemes will lead to increased employment through job rotation arrangements
3.1.6.6. Duration
Parental leave may be given for consecutive periods from 13 to 52 weeks
3.1.6.7. Effects
By the end of 1995 a total number of about 70,000 persons were on leave; of these about 34,000 were on parental leave.
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