Supplement
benefits

Bonus

Supplement to unemployment benefits in the first three months

If you meet certain conditions, you can get a supplement to your normal unemployment benefit rate for the first 3 months of unemployment. It is called "beskæftigelsestillæg".

The maximum benefit rate can be increased from DKK 20,359 up to DKK 24,199 in the first 3 months. This means you can get a supplement of up to DKK 3,840 per month.

The A-kasse will calculate an individual benefit rate for you, and the amount of the supplement depends on your previous income.

You must have had an average income of DKK 24,590 per month to receive one krone in supplement. If your income has been below DKK 24,588 per month you cannot get the supplement.
In order to receive the full supplement of DKK 3,840 per month it requires that you have had an average monthly income of at least DKK 29,225.

Example (2024-rates):
A member has had an average monthly income of DKK 27,500.
When the A-kasse has to calculate the benefit rate, they first deduct AM contribution of 8% - that leaves DKK 25,300.
Of this, you can get a maximum of 90%, which gives DKK 22,770.

In the first 3 months, the member will receive DKK 22,770 per month in unemployment benefits. After 3 months of unemployment, the member will get DKK 20,359 per month.

Conditions for entitlement to the supplement

To be eligible for the supplement, you must meet all of the following three requirements:

  • Member requirement: you have been a member of an a-kasse continuously for four years prior to your unemployment. You can have changed A-kasse during the 4 year period or have changed status (for instance from student to graduate), but in terms of time there must not be gaps in the membership period.
    If you have transfered periods of work and insurance from another EEA Country, the membership period from your home EEA-country can be used to meet this 4 years membership requirement. The EU-coordination rules accepts interruptions in the insurance for up to 8 weeks, which also will be accepted as a gap in this 4 years membership requirement.
  • Employment requirement: If you are newly unemployed and have been granted unemployment benefits by meeting the income requirement, you must meet a "double" income requirement in order to also receive the supplement.
    This means that within the past 3 years you must have had an income of DKK 526,464 (in total).
    As applicable at fulfillment of the income requirement for the unemployment benefit itself, a maximum of DKK 21,936 can be included per month.

    If you have (re)earned the right to a new unemployment benefit period by meeting the requirement of hours worked (1,924 hours within the last 3 years), you must fulfill a "double" requirement of hours worked in order to also receive the supplement. This means that you must have reported at least 3,848 wage hours to the income register within the last 3 years prior to unemployment.
  • Can have the maximum benefit rate calculated: You must have had enough income to be able to get a benefit rate calculated which exceeds 100% of the maximum benefit rate.

Main topics about A-kasse

Transferring periods of work and insurance from another EEA CountryAs an EU citizen you can transfer acquired rights from Unemployment Insurance between EU contries. Be aware that there are some requirements and deadlines that are important to meet. And you have to use a PD U1 Form. Read more here..
Transferring unemployment benefitsUnder certain conditions you can go to another EU country to look for work and continue to receive your unemployment benefits from the country where you became unemployed. And you have to use a PD U2 Form. Read more here..
Unemployment benefits ("dagpenge")Remember you have to be member of an A-kasse for 1 year before you can claim Unemployment benefits ("dagpenge"). And you must meet the income-requirement. Read more here..
International graduatesGraduates in Denmark can get Unemployment benefits from the first day after graduation, if they have been member as student of an A-kasse for at least 1 year. Read more...
Residence CardIf you are a non-EU citizen you must have a residence Card which allows you to take any job with one day notice. This is because you must be available for the labor market for being eligible for unemployment benefits ("dagpenge").
Membership fee and taxYou will automatically get a deduction in your tax for your fee to the A-kasse and trade union. There is no ceiling on the amount you can get a deduction for when it comes to contributions to A-kasse, whereas you can get a maximum deduction of DKK 7,000 for a trade union.