Parental benefit is intended to ensure parents an income in connection with the birth or adoption of a child. The financial compensation in Scandinavia ranks among the world’s best. There are small differences between the three Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
Denmark
New moms in Denmark get a total of 18 weeks of maternity leave, all at full pay; four weeks before the birth and 14 weeks after. During this period, the father can also take two consecutive weeks off.
Whether you have the right to get full salary or not during your parental leave in Denmark depends on the agreements that are in place at your workplace. In some cases the employer pays the full salary during part of the period of leave, and in other cases the new authority Udbetaling Denmark pays the money.
After 18 weeks, patents can split 32 additional weeks of leave however they see fit. They can extend the leave for another 14 weeks if the child or parents get sick. By law, the government covers 52 weeks of pay, though not always at the full salary. You do not need the employer’s approval for this.
Sweden
New parents in Sweden are entitled to 480 days of leave at 80% of their normal pay. That’s on top of the 18 weeks reserved just for mothers, after which the parents can split up the time however they choose. Swedish dads also get 90 paid paternity days reserved jut for them, a popular system promoting bonding between father and child during a time when moms are getting most of the attention.
Out of these 480 days, 60 must be taken by the father or else all are lost. This leave can be taken by the month, week, day or even by the hour.
Sweden’s unique parental leave system marks it as a leader in gender equality.
Norway
Norway’s system is flexible and generous. Mothers can take 35 weeks at full pay or 45 weeks at 80% pay, and fathers can take between zero and 10 weeks depending on their wives’ income. Together, parents can receive an additional 46 weeks at full pay or 56 weeks at 80% of their income.
Parents are eligible for parental benefit if they have been gainfully employed and have had a pensionable income for at least 6 of the 10 months prior to the start of the parental benefit period.
For employed parents, the parental benefit basis is normally calculated on the basis of the income at the start of the leave.
When applying, parents must choose between 100 percent or 80 percent degree of coverage The total benefit period for parental benefit in the case of a birth, is 49 weeks at 100 percent coverage, and 59 weeks at 80 percent coverage. The parents must choose the same degree of coverage.
Parental leave when working in Scandinavia, compiled by Admin
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