Information in English

As a minimum you are entitled to a pay which is equal to the applicable collective agreement for the same type of work.  

When the City of Copenhagen determines what fair pay and working conditions are, we use the national collective agreements intentered into between the most representative trade unions and employers’ associations in Denmark.

As an employee, you must receive a payslip for each payment of wages. 

Here, you must be able to find information about: Pay, working hours, holidays and any savings for e.g. pension and special holidays.

The usual working hours are 37 hours a week for employees paid by the hour.

If you work more than 37 hours a week, you may be entitled to overtime compensation in addition to your usual hourly pay. If you work odd hours (e.g. evening or night work), you may be
entitled to a working schedule and supplements.

It is a good idea to write down your hours daily, for example in a calendar. In particular if you work more than what is specified in your employment contract or your payslip.

As a general rule, you must have a minimum of 11 consecutive hours’ break per calendar day. At least once a week, you must also have a full calendar day off in continuation of such a rest period — meaning that at least once a week you must have 35 consecutive hours off. When possible, on a Sunday

As an employee, you earn 2.08 holidays for each month. You earn holidays from your first day of work. 

According to Danish holiday legislation, you are entitled to ”holiday pay” during holidays. As an employee, you therefore earn holiday allowance corresponding to 12.5% of your pay. The
money is paid instead of wages when you take holidays.

In addition to holidays, all employees accrue weekday holidays, which entitle them to take time off work with pay. Most employees also accrue special holidays, and some have a personal
choice account which is money that you decide how to spend.

It can be used for family days, senior days, pension, or you may choose to have it paid.

The number of special holidays, whether you have a personal choice account or not and how much you are paid on weekday holidays depend on the collective agreements. It must appear from your payslip how much you are owed.

If you are in doubt about your rights, then contact a trade union.

No later than six months after your first employment you are entitled to a pension contribution from your employer. The pension contribution must at least be equal to the current collective
agreement, but may be of a different size and depends on your area of work. If your employer does not pay a pension contribution, it means that you can miss out on several thousand
Danish kroner each month. 

Your employer must also pay to the Danish Labour Market Supplementary Pension Scheme (ATP). That appears from your payslip.

If you work eight hours or more per week, you must have an employment contract no later than four weeks after you started working.

Your employer has a duty to inform you about your pay and terms of employment, your tasks and your usual working hours. 

In Denmark, tax of your wages must be paid. Your employer is responsible for paying the money to SKAT.

Skat.dk: A practical guide to the Danish tax system

The purpose of the trade unions is to work for your rights as an employee. The objects of the unemployment funds are to safeguard you financially (paying unemployment benefits) if you
lose your job.

It is up to you to decide if you want to be a member of a trade union and/or an unemployment fund.

For employees who are not Danish citizens and leave Denmark again, there are special rules for payment of holiday allowance and money paid to pension schemes in Denmark. You can get more information at the international citizen service on tel. 3366 1000 (lifeindenmark.borger.dk), ATP and your pension provider.

There may be rules and rights not described on this website. If you are in doubt, have any questions or experience that your rights are not respected, you can contact a trade union or call the City of Copenhagen’s CSR unit on telephone 3366 7010 or send an e-mail.