Am I allowed to get paid when I am sick in Denmark?
It depends on whether you are a salaried employee (funktionær). Salaried employees have a right to full pay during sickness under the Salaried Employees Act. Other employees can get sickness benefit: the employer pays the first 30 calendar days (the employer period), and then the municipality takes over. The maximum sickness benefit rate is 5,085 kr a week in 2026, equal to 137.43 kr an hour. Sickness benefit normally runs for at most 22 weeks within 9 months, after which the municipality must decide on an extension. You must report the illness and take part in the follow-up to keep the right.
📋 The rules
- Salaried employees have a right to full pay during sickness
- The employer pays the first 30 days
- Max sickness benefit: 5,085 kr a week in 2026
- Sickness benefit runs for at most 22 weeks normally
- You must report the illness and take part in follow-up
🔓 Exceptions
- Salaried employees get full pay, and the employer can reclaim a sickness-benefit refund
- The self-employed get sickness benefit only after 2 weeks of illness without insurance
- The seriously ill can get an extension or a job-clarification programme
⚠️ Penalties & fines
If you do not report the illness in time or miss the follow-up, you can lose the right to sickness benefit.
📎 Official sources
- Borger.dk · Sickness benefit →
- Ministry of Employment · Rates 2026 →
- STAR · Sickness and parental leave →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I get paid when I am sick?
Salaried employees have a right to full pay during sickness. Others can get sickness benefit from the employer and then the municipality.
Who pays the first days?
The employer pays the first 30 calendar days (the employer period), after which the municipality takes over.
How high is the sickness benefit rate?
The maximum rate is 5,085 kr a week in 2026, equal to 137.43 kr an hour.
How long can I get sickness benefit?
Normally for at most 22 weeks within 9 months, after which the municipality must decide on an extension.
What must I do myself?
You must report the illness in time and take part in the follow-up to keep the right to sickness benefit.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “do I get paid when sick denmark”
- “sickness benefit rate 5085 kr”
- “employer period 30 days”
- “salaried full pay sickness”
- “sickness benefit 22 weeks”
- “sickness benefit municipality”