Living in Denmark

Flexible working conditions are integral to the Danish work culture, where a standard workweek typically spans 37 hours, scheduled from Monday to Friday. Most employees enjoy a level of flexibility regarding their working hours, allowing them to tailor their workload to suit their individual needs, within reasonable limits. The emphasis is on meeting deadlines and punctuality for meetings rather than adhering strictly to a set time or place for work. This ethos of 'freedom with responsibility' serves to minimize stress and fosters a strong sense of commitment among Danish employees. 

In Denmark, holidays are highly valued and viewed as essential for maintaining work-life balance and promoting employee well-being. The combination of paid holiday days, public holidays, and holiday allowances contributes to a culture that values leisure time and relaxation. 

Employees in Denmark are entitled to a minimum of five weeks (25 days) of paid vacation per year. Many companies and organizations offer additional vacation days or allow employees to accrue more vacation time based on years of service.

For example, at Roskilde University when covered by the state holiday agreement, you earn 25 days of ordinary holiday days with pay and additional 5 special holidays per year regardless your absence from work due to e.g. illness, parental leave, childcare days, educational leave.

Hourly paid employees are governed by the Danish Holiday Act and the provisions of the holiday agreement concerning replacement holiday. Hourly paid employees entitled to full pay during illness are covered by the provisions of the holiday agreement on special holidays.

Denmark has a generous maternity/paternity leave policy. Both the mother and father of the child are entitled to maternity/paternity leave:

• Mother: Six weeks before expected date of birth and 14 weeks after childbirth with full pay
• Father: Two weeks after childbirth with full pay

After the 14th week after childbirth, the parents are entitled to an additional 19 weeks parental leave with full pay. Six of these are earmarked for the mother, seven are earmarked for the father, and the last six weeks can be divided between the mother and the father.

There are many options for using maternity/ paternity leave flexibly. 

Under the collective agreements in force at Roskilde University, a full-time position is 37 hours a week. Normally, a 30-minute paid lunch break is included in the 37 weekly working hours. Employees such as PhD students and researchers who plan their work themselves or whose working hours cannot be monitored are not entitled to overtime pay.

Normally you are entitled to full pay during illness. You also have the right to paid leave for the first two days of your child’s illness. Furthermore, all parents are entitled to two childcare days with pay per child per calendar year until the child has reached the age of seven.

Workplace Culture in Denmark 

The salary structure for academic staff in government service in Denmark is governed by a collective agreement negotiated between the Ministry of Finance and the Confederation of Professional Associations. Here's an overview of how salaries are determined:

Collective Agreement: 

All academic staff members in government service receive a base salary determined by the collective agreement. Salaries are standardized based on job category and level of experience, ensuring equitable compensation for individuals in the same role.

Negotiation process: 

Upon employment, salary negotiations are conducted between a member of senior management and the union representative representing the employee. Full professors have the option to negotiate their salary themselves or be represented by their union delegate.

Salary grading system: 

Salaries for most categories of academic staff are determined by a grading system, ranging from grade 4 to grade 8. Advancement within the grading system is based on years of documented full-time academic employment since obtaining a Master's degree. The placement within the grading system may vary depending on the equivalence of the individual's Master's degree to a Danish Master's degree.

Professorial salaries: 

Professors receive salaries based on a separate and higher wage bracket, rather than seniority.

Allowances and supplements: 

Academic staff members receive centrally agreed allowances attached to their specific job category. Additionally, further supplements may be negotiated between the professor or union representative and the Dean of Research.

Annual Salary Negotiations: 

Roskilde University conducts annual salary negotiations, usually in the first quarter of the year, where applications for salary adjustments are invited. These negotiations cover both temporary and permanent monthly allowances, as well as a performance-based bonus system.

Payment and payslips: 

Salaries at Roskilde University are disbursed monthly, with salary statements accessible electronically via Digital Post.

Overall, the salary structure for academic staff in Denmark ensures fairness and transparency, with opportunities for advancement and negotiation based on qualifications and experience.

As a faculty member employed under the collective agreement for the academic employees in the state, you are entitled to three different options when choosing your own pension scheme: 

• Ordinary pension contributions scheme – an option for all international staff members employed under the collective agreement for academics - According to the collective agreement that covers all academic staff, the university will transfer a monthly pension contribution to the relevant pension fund calculated at 17.1 % of the base salary plus pensionable supplements.
   
• International pension scheme (taxed immediately when transferred to your pension fund). An option for some academic staff members employed under the collective agreement for academics - Under this scheme, the university will transfer a monthly pension contribution to the relevant pension fund, calculated at 17.1 % of your base salary plus pensionable supplements
   
• Pension exemption (pension contribution paid out as salary) for a maximum period of five years. An option for some international researchers employed by the university on a fixed-term contract - Pension exemption means that an amount equivalent to the pension contribution, calculated at 17.1 % of your base salary plus pensionable supplements, will be paid out together with your monthly salary.

You will be asked to choose a pension scheme when negotiating your employment contract. 

The researcher taxation rule means that the salary is subject to a gross tax rate of approximately 32 percent for up to 84 months including contributions to Danish social security (labour market contributions).