At Nordic Insights, we have eagerly anticipated the data on the effects of the new Danish parental leave law introduced in 2022. With the release of new statistics from Statistics Denmark, we are thrilled to delve into the numbers which impact the parental roles, family life, society, and work environments.
You can learn about the Danish rules for parental leave and benefits at the Info Norden website.
To cut it short the key takeaways are:
👨Men are taking more parental leave: From 2021 to 2022, men increased their average leave period by a whopping 25 days⬆️, bringing their new average up to 62.4 days. This means that fathers have come very close to utilising all of the 11 weeks reserved for them in the new legislation (62.4 days out of 77). This shift is supported by legislative changes and a growing cultural recognition of men’s role in early childcare. The rules came into effect on August 2, 2022, so we can expect a further increase in data for 2023.
👩Women have reduced their parental leave: In the same period that fathers have increased their leave, women have reduced theirs. The average parental leave for women has decreased by 34 days⬇️ bringing their new average down to 244 days, likely due to changes in legislation that reduced the maximum leave period. This could be a step towards more balanced parental roles, but it also signals the need for adjustments to ensure fair conditions for both mothers and fathers.
👶 Infants have less time at home with parents: Despite fathers taking more leave, trends show that the total time an infant spends with at least one parent in their first year has decreased by 15 days⬇️. This suggests that even with an increase in fathers’ participation, it doesn’t fully compensate for the time mothers cut from their leave.
These trends indicate significant changes in both societal norms and political frameworks affecting family and work life. It’s crucial for policymakers and society to carefully assess these changes to understand their broader impact on gender balance and children’s upbringing conditions.
In the new parental leave model, there’s a scheme where both fathers and mothers can take 24 weeks of leave while receiving benefits. However, it’s important to note that for employees, 11 of these weeks are specifically reserved—they cannot be transferred to the other parent. If these reserved weeks aren’t used, they will be lost. However, the remaining 13 weeks can be shared between both parents as they see fit and according to their needs.
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