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Employment guide

Hire and pay employees
in Denmark

Employment law, payroll compliance, taxes, benefits, and hiring requirements for Denmark — curated and reviewed by Remote&.

Capital
Copenhagen
Currency
kr. Danish Krone (DKK)
Working Hours
37 hours per week (set by collective bargaining agreements)
Min. salary
01 — Country basics

Denmark at a glance

Capital
Copenhagen
Language
Danish
Currency
kr. Danish Krone (DKK)
Working Hours
37 hours per week (set by collective bargaining agreements)
Public Holidays
10 days per year
Tax Year
Jan 1 – Dec 31
Worker misclassification risk
Misclassifying an employee as a contractor in Denmark can result in fines of DKK 10,000 to 20 weeks' salary payable to the affected worker. Denmark consistently ranks in the top 3 of the UN World Happiness Report — a labour market built on strong protections plays a role.
02 — Tax obligations

Taxes in Denmark

Employer Contributions

ContributionAmount
Social securityDKK 8,000 – DKK 10,000 per year
Occupational injury insuranceDKK 1,176 – DKK 24,441 per year
Other employer contributionsDKK 1,076 – DKK 4,764 per year

Denmark's employer social contributions are unusually low — most of the social burden falls on income tax paid by the employee.

Employer contributions
ContributionAmount
Social securityDKK 8,000 – DKK 10,000 per year
Occupational injury insuranceDKK 1,176 – DKK 24,441 per year
Other employer contributionsDKK 1,076 – DKK 4,764 per year

Denmark's employer social contributions are unusually low — most of the social burden falls on income tax paid by the employee.

Employee contributions
ContributionRate
Labour market contribution (AM-bidrag)8%
Pension contributions (ATP)DKK 1,135 per year
Total employee income tax16% – 52.07%
Income tax brackets
Gross IncomeTax Rate
DKK 0 – 54,0218% (AM-bidrag only)
DKK 54,022 – 640,10943.8%
Over DKK 640,10956.5%

Income tax is progressive and includes state tax, church tax, and municipal tax.

03 — Remote& EOR

Employer of Record in Denmark

How Remote& EOR Works

Remote& acts as the legal employer of your Danish workers, handling payroll, tax filings, statutory benefits, and employment contracts while you direct the work.

PartyRole
Your CompanyManages work tasks, performance, and team direction
Remote&Runs payroll, files A-skat, administers benefits, ensures legal compliance
EmployeeWorks for your company under a locally compliant Danish contract

Ask Remi:

"Hire a growth marketer in Denmark — DKK 55,000/month, starting as soon as possible" Remi handles everything: contract, tax registration, payroll setup, and ATP enrollment.
04 — What employees receive

Benefits in Denmark

Statutory
  • Health and safety protections (mandatory compliance with Working Environment Act)
Common additional
  • Additional annual leave (beyond 25 statutory days)
  • Private pension fund contributions
  • Career development and learning budget
  • Flexible and remote working
  • Hardware and phone allowance
  • Massage / wellness benefits
  • Performance bonus
  • Private health insurance
05 — Time away from work

Leave entitlements

Leave typeEntitlement
Paid Annual Leave25 days + public holidays
Sick LeaveUnlimited paid sick leave
Maternity Leave18 weeks
Paternity Leave2 weeks
Parental Leave48 weeks paid leave (shared between parents)
06 — Contracts & rights

Employment conditions

Probation

A maximum 6-month probationary period was introduced in Denmark in 2023.

Business Transfer

In cases of business ownership changes, employees have the right to be informed and, to some extent, consulted. They generally must accept the new employer if working conditions do not worsen.

Employee Rights & Protections

Danish workers are entitled to: written employment contract, payslip, home office rights, health and safety protections, flexible work options, equal opportunity and pay, anti-discrimination protection, severance pay, and union membership.

07 — Payroll cadence

Payments

Payment frequency
Monthly
Payday
Varies — from the last day of the month to the 15th of the following month.
08 — Off-boarding

End of employment in Denmark

Terminating employment in Denmark requires observing notice periods and providing reasonable justification for employees who have been employed for over 1 year. Written notice is not legally required but strongly recommended for documentation.

If the employee requests, the employer must provide sufficient written reasoning for termination.

Outstanding holiday leave must be paid to the employee's holiday fund.

Severance Pay:

  • 12–17 years of employment: 1 month's salary
  • Over 17 years of employment: 3 months' salary
09 — Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Four main routes: run payroll from HQ for short-term arrangements; engage contractors for project-based multi-client work; establish a Danish entity; or use Remote& as Employer of Record. Denmark's collective bargaining environment means careful attention to sector-specific agreements is essential — Remote& handles this.

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