Additional leave days and the sixth week of holiday
Additional leave days and the sixth week of holiday are not covered by the Danish Holiday Act. Here you get a clear overview of the rules and what applies if you work in the private sector, public sector or at a pharmacy.
What is the difference between additional leave days and the sixth week of holiday?
In practice, these terms cover the same concept: extra leave days on top of the five weeks of holiday provided by the Danish Holiday Act.
The main difference lies in the terminology:
In the private sector, the term additional leave days is used
In the public sector, the term special leave days is used
The sixth week of holiday is an informal umbrella term
It is important to note that these days are not part of the Danish Holiday Act. The rules depend on your employment contract, collective agreement or local agreements.
What do the different terms mean?
Additional leave days
This is the most common way to provide an extra week of holiday in the private sector. You typically receive five days per year. These days may be granted all at once or accrued over time.
Special leave days
This is simply another term for the same concept, mainly used in the public sector. These days are in addition to the five weeks of holiday and are typically five days per year.
The sixth week of holiday
A general term for the additional week of leave, usually implemented as either additional leave days or special leave days.
Your leave depends on your employment
Your rights and how you take additional leave days depend on your employment terms, collective agreement and sector.
Private sector employees
As a private sector employee, there are typically two models:
You receive five additional leave days per year
You accrue and take the days on an ongoing basis
Rules vary between workplaces, so always check your employment contract or employee handbook.
If you have questions, you can contact legal advice.
Public sector employees
As a public sector employee, specific rules apply to special leave days:
Days are accrued in the previous calendar year
They are generally taken between 1st of May and 30th of April the following year
The rules are defined in the collective agreement
Read your collective agreement for public sector employees.
Pharmacy employees
As a pharmacy employee, you accrue the sixth week of holiday alongside your regular holiday through your collective agreement.
All six weeks are managed as one combined holiday entitlement.
You can track accrual and usage on your payslip.
Read the collective agreement for pharmacy employees.
Do you need legal assistance?
You can always contact our legal team if you have questions or need help.
Phone: +45 39 46 36 05
Mail: jura@pharmadanmark.dk
