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Factsheet for measure DK-2020-40/1704 Updated – measures in Denmark

Assistance for families with children at home during COVID-19

Hjælp til familier med hjemsendte børn og udsatte grupper

Country Denmark , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 29 September 2020 – 28 February 2022
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Income protection beyond short-time work
– Support for parents and carers (financial or in kind)
Author Carsten Jørgensen (FAOS, University of Copenhagen), Anders Randrup (Oxford Research)
Measure added 11 January 2021 (updated 20 January 2022)

Background information

Law no 1427 of 29 September 2020 allows parents of repatriated children to temporarily receive maternity benefits if the child has been found infected with COVID-19, or the child has been sent home as close contact because other children or adults at school or in the day care institution have been found infected. The law allows parents to receive unemployment benefits under the Maternity Act until the child can return to an institution or school.

Content of measure

The scheme covers parents of children under 14 years of age. The covered parents must meet the Maternity Act's conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefits, including the employment requirement. The scheme only covers employees in employment.

A total of 10 working days' unemployment benefits are awarded per child during the period of the scheme. Unemployment benefits are paid for the entire working day. Pursuant to the law, support can only be given to one parent per repatriation day.

In the case of a child who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the parents must also have used the child's 1st and 2nd day of illness. In addition, it is a condition that no salary is paid for the same day or a holiday is taken.

The maternity benefit is paid directly to the parent and cannot be paid as reimbursement to the company, as there is no right to the benefit if salary is paid by the company.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

14 December 2021

The scheme was reintroduced on 14 December 2021 by law stemming from a tripartite agreement from 23 November 2021. The law will apply retroactively in the period from 23 November to 28 February 2022. Applicants can apply from 16 December. Unlike the last time, however, in the case of a home sent child, you can receive unemployment benefits from the first day without first having to use care days or the 1st and 2nd child's sick days. The Act covers self-employed as well. Overall, the bill is estimated with considerable uncertainty to entail additional costs for the public sector of approx. DKK 445 million 2021 and approx. DKK 658 million in 2022 after tax and setbacks. The reintroduction is interconnected with the reintroduction of case DK-2020-9/787 .

23 March 2021

The Danish Parliament agreed to extend the measure until 30 June 2021.

11 January 2021

The possibility for maternity benefits for parents with children being home during COVID-19 has been extended until 31 March 2021.

Use of measure

Unknown.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Parents in employment
Does not apply to businesses Children (minors)
The COVID-19 risk group

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Unknown Unknown
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

Unknown.

Views and reactions

Unknown.

Sources

  • 11 January 2021: Act amending the Maternity Act (www.retsinformation.dk)
  • 23 March 2021: Majority extends sickness benefit schemes for corona sufferers and ensures maternity leave for self-employed with closed companies (bm.dk)
  • 23 March 2021: L 192 Draft law amending the Law on Sickness Benefits and the Maternity Act. (www.ft.dk)
  • 23 November 2021: Trepartsaftale om midlertidig suspendering af arbejdsgiverperioden samt ordning med barselsdagpenge til forældre med hjemsendte børn som følge af covid-19 (bm.dk)
  • 09 December 2021: Lov sikrer hjælp til virksomheder med corona-syge ansatte (bm.dk)
  • 14 December 2021: LOV nr 2380 af 14/12/2021: Lov om ændring af lov om sygedagpenge og barselsloven (www.retsinformation.dk)

Citation

Eurofound (2021), Assistance for families with children at home during COVID-19, measure DK-2020-40/1704 (measures in Denmark), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/DK-2020-40_1704.html

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