Salary supplement for the abolition of Store Bededag

Great Prayer Day was abolished as a public holiday in 2023. This means that the fourth Friday after Easter has become a regular working day from 2024 onwards.

You must be paid for the extra day you work.

If you are paid by the hour, you must be paid for the hours you work on the day that used to be a public holiday. If you have a savings account for days off, you will not be paid extra into the savings.

If you are paid on a monthly basis or have a fixed salary for a period other than one month, you will receive a salary supplement.

How much should I receive in salary supplement due to the abolition of Great Prayer Day?

As a salaried employee, you must get a salary supplement for the abolition of Great Prayer Day, which corresponds to the value of an ordinary working day.

The salary supplement is set by the Danish Parliament at 0.45% of your annual salary. The following salary components are included in the calculation of the salary supplement:

• your regular monthly salary
• the company's pension contribution
• contribution to Free Choice Scheme
• qualification supplement
• function supplement
• other fixed allowances

The salary supplement is not calculated from overtime payment, bonus and the like, unless it is a fixed overtime payment and bonus.

You earn the salary supplement from 1 January 2024.

You earn the salary supplement regardless of whether you work, take a paid holiday or are on paid parental leave.

The salary supplement is included in the part of your salary from which you accrue holiday allowance. This means that your employer must calculate a holiday allowance from the salary supplement of the salaried paid employees who have paid holiday.

When will I receive the salary supplement?

Your employer can pay the salary supplement on a monthly basis or at the same time as your holiday supplement, which is typically paid in May and August.

Your employer decides whether the supplement is paid monthly or together with the holiday supplement.

If you are employed in the public sector, the salary supplement is paid as follows:

State employee: The salary supplement is paid twice a year, in May and in August.

Employees in the region: The salary supplement is paid monthly.

Employee in a municipality: The individual municipality chooses whether the salary supplement is paid monthly or twice a year.

Read more about holiday allowances

How can I see if I have received the salary supplement?

Your employer must be able to document that you are paid the salary supplement.

Therefore, the salary supplement should appear as a separate item on your payslip.

Can my employer avoid paying the salary supplement by giving me time off instead?

Your employer cannot avoid paying the salary supplement by giving you time off.

If your workplace gives you paid time off on Great Prayer Day, even though the holiday has been abolished, or your employer gives you another day off with pay instead, you must still have the salary supplement of 0.45% of your annual salary.

Remember the salary supplement when negotiating salary or changing jobs

You must pay particular attention to the salary supplement when you have to negotiate salary with your manager in 2024.

The salary supplement is compensation for the fact that you have to work an extra day a year. It should not be mixed with your salary increase in 2024, when you will be remunerated for your efforts in the company.

If your manager tells you that you will get a total salary increase of, for example, 4%, it is important to clarify whether the salary supplement of 0.45% is included in the 4%, so that you actually only get a 3.55% salary increase.

If you change jobs, you must also pay attention to whether the salary offered includes the salary supplement or not. If the salary offered includes the salary supplement, you must take this into account when you negotiate your salary in connection with the job change.