Holiday

Paid holiday in Denmark

Are you entitled to pay or holiday allowance during your holiday? And what is additional holiday pay and how do you get? Get to grips with the rules here.

As an employee in Denmark, you are entitled to paid holiday, regardless of whether you work in the private or public sector.

Depending on your employment type, you either continue to receive your usual salary during holiday or receive holiday pay (also known as holiday allowance) when you go on holiday.

What is holiday pay or holiday allowance?

Holiday pay (feriepenge) is a payment you accrue as a salaried employee and which you receive when you take holiday. Holiday pay is also known as holiday allowance (feriegodtgørelse).

Holiday pay is 12.5 per cent of your salary.

Holiday pay is calculated based on your taxable salary, the value of employee benefits that you do not use during your holiday (e.g. lunch scheme or massage scheme) and your employer-paid contribution to a pension scheme. 

Who gets holiday pay?

If you are paid by the hour, for instance as a freelancer, you may be entitled to holiday pay (holiday allowance) instead of salary during holidays.

As an employee, you get holiday pay if you:

  • Do not receive full pay during illness.
  • Do not receive full pay on public holidays that fall on weekdays.
  • Are not employed on a monthly basis or for a longer period.

If you have paid holidays and you leave your position, you may also be entitled to holiday pay. If you have unused holiday days at the time of your resignation, your employer will pay you holiday pay for the unused holiday.

I have paid holiday, should I opt for holiday pay instead?

If you are entitled to paid holiday and holiday allowance (ferietillæg), you have the right under the Holiday Act to opt out of paid holiday and allowance and opt for holiday pay (feriepenge).

However, you can opt for holiday pay at 12% of any taxable salary amount, the value of benefits that you do not use during your holiday and your own contribution to a pension scheme.

You must notify your employer of your choice before the start of the holiday year and your choice of scheme applies for one holiday year at a time. Remember to renew your chosen holiday scheme before the start of the next holiday year.

Exchanging paid holiday for holiday pay can be an advantage for those who expect overtime in the coming calendar year, as you do not accrue paid holiday from your overtime.

What is a holiday supplement?

In addition to salary during the holiday, you are entitled to a holiday supplement (ferietillæg). The rates depend on where you are employed:

  • As a private employee, your supplement is 1% of your salary during the holiday year. The supplement may also be higher, which will be stated in your contract.
  • As an employee in the state-sector, your holiday supplement is 1.5% of your salary during the holiday year.
  • As an employee in a municipality or region, your holiday supplement is 1.95% of your salary during the holiday year.

When is my holiday supplement paid out?

The holiday supplement is paid out in two ways:

At the same time as you are on holiday: For example, if you have earned two weeks' holiday and take one week's holiday, you will receive half of the holiday allowance you have earned.

Twice a year: The first supplement will be paid out with the salary for May for holiday allowance earned 1 September - 31 May and holiday allowance for the last part of the holiday year with the salary for August.

It is your workplace that decides which solution they use.

There has been a change in my working hours, how does this affect my salary during holiday?

If there is a change in your working hours between the time your holiday pay is earned and the time your holiday is taken, your salary must be adjusted accordingly.

What it means for your salary if you reduce your working hours and salary

I am or have been unemployed. How does this affect by right to holiday?

As an unemployed person, you are entitled to holiday if you have earned it from a previous employment relationship. 

In other words: if you accrued holiday days with salary in your previous job, you are entitled to used your accrued holiday.

Please note that as an unemployed person, you must take the holiday accrued from previous employment, as otherwise you will lose the right to payment of your holiday pay.

If you are not entitled to pay during holidays or holiday allowance, you may, under certain conditions, be entitled to holiday pay from your unemployment insurance fund. Contact the unemployment insurance fund for further advice on this.