Eurofound's COVID-19 EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the crisis, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Factsheet for case DK-2020-10/634 – Updated – measures in Denmark
Country | Denmark , applies nationwide |
Time period | Temporary, 01 March 2020 – 30 June 2021 |
Type | Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Category |
Income protection beyond short-time work
– Extensions of income support to workers not covered by any kind of protection scheme |
Author | Carsten Jørgensen and Maria Hansen (FAOS, University of Copenhagen), Anders Randrup (Oxford Research) and Eurofound. |
Case created | 15 April 2020 (updated 19 July 2021) |
Increased access to unemployment benefits and sickness benefits due to COVID-19: In order to mitigate the negative consequences that the spread of COVID-19 can have on unemployed and sick pay recipients, the government and all the parties of the Parliament agree to provide easier conditions for unemployed and sick pay recipients in the coming temporary period.
The legal references are "LOV nr 274 af 26/03/2020" and "LOV nr 275 af 26/03/2020".
Unemployment benefit recipients will have increased access to unemployment benefit as the period from 1 March to 31 May does not count in the unemployed seniority. However, the person must be a member of the unemployment insurance fund during the period.
The right to sickness benefit will be extended for three months. Persons who have received sickness benefit for more than 22 weeks during the period from 9 March to 9 June, in the nine preceding calendar months, i.e. when the reassessment date and cannot extend the payment of sickness benefit in accordance with the existing extension rules.
Suspension of G-days: Employer's payment of unemployment benefit (G-days) to employees who are covered by a division of work or returned home is suspended.
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
11 May 2021 |
The Danish Parliament passed a bill (L 218) to extend the suspension of benefit consumption until 30 June 2021. In addition, the period of sickness benefit is extended by two months for persons who otherwise cannot have their entitlement to sickness benefit extended. This means that no sickness benefit recipients will switch to job clarification courses until 30 June 2021. The extension is part of an overall framework agreement for the reopening of Denmark from 22 March 2021. |
09 February 2021 |
Extension of the temporary entitlement to sickness benefits by a further two months. The parties to the agreement agree that the suspension of unemployment benefit consumption will be extended until and including April 2021. |
16 December 2020 |
Extended entitlement to sickness benefits from after 31 January 2021 until and including 28 February 2021. Reintroduction of the suspension of unemployment benefit consumption for all unemployment benefit recipients in the period from 1 January 2021 to 28 February 2021, corresponding to the extension of the targeted compensation schemes. |
10 July 2020 |
Due to the Corona situation, the Danish Parliament has decided to extend the temporary period by one month until 30 June 2020. |
Unknown.
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Unemployed
|
Does not apply to businesses | Does not apply to citizens |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
National government
|
National funds
|
Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:
Trade unions | Employers' organisations | |
---|---|---|
Role | No involvement | No involvement |
Form | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
No involvement.
Unknown.
Citation
Eurofound (2020), Increased access to unemployment benefits and sickness benefits, case DK-2020-10/634 (measures in Denmark), COVID-19 EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, http://eurofound.link/covid19eupolicywatch
Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process. All information is preliminary and subject to change.