Setting aside 12 weeks of paternity leave for men will not be enough to encourage new fathers to take more time off work in connection with their children’s birth, according to the employment minister, Mette Frederiksen (Socialdemokraterne).
Her comments came the same day as the government announced it would not pursue its goal of earmarking more of the 52-week paid paternity leave period for men.
Currently two weeks are reserved for men, but Frederiksen said families’ financial realities make it difficult for some men to take leave and the government fears that if new fathers don't take the earmarked leave, the parents' combined time off to care for their new child will be shorter.
Instead the government said men who take more than six weeks of leave will receive 100 kroner a day, tax-free, for up to six additional weeks.
DR Nyheder
This story was included in The Copenhagen Post's Morning Briefing for Thusday, September 5. If you would like to receive stories like these delivered to your inbox by 8am each weekday, sign up for our Morning Briefing newsletter today.
