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Close to half a million already queuing to claim their frozen holiday money

Ben Hamilton
September 29th, 2020


This article is more than 4 years old.

October spending will hopefully boost economy, promises employment minister, who urges his compatriots to spend the cash with Danish companies

In one hour’s time you’ll be rich (photo: screenshot)

As of around 10:40 this morning, 400,000 customers had joined the queue for their frozen holiday pay. 

According to borger.dk, it will take them approximately 90 minutes to get their hands on their loot, and the money will be paid into their accounts within seven working days.

By the end of next week, therefore, an estimated 2 million people in Denmark will be better off, once they’ve been taxed, to the tune of somewhere between 10,000 and 30,000 kroner.

Good news for struggling companies
The higher the salary, the more they’ll get, which is great news for struggling businesses desperate for customers to stave off their coronavirus shortfalls.

“It’s good that the money can now start coming out and working. It is needed. We know that many companies are having a hard time getting the economy to run around due to the Coronavirus Crisis, and this injection can help get the wheels moving and thus save jobs,” enthused the employment minister, Peter Hummelgaard. 

“I am convinced that many Danes will take it and spend more money – preferably with Danish companies – for the benefit of the entire economy.”

Available due to new system
The government decided to unfreeze the holiday money, which is the equivalent of three weeks’ worth, back in the spring. 

The government had initially earmarked the money, which became available when the country switched over to a new holiday money payment system, for people’s pensions.

But the government reasoned they would benefit more from getting the money now, and that the spending would further boost the economy.

Taking the money is voluntary
People in Denmark have until December 1 to access the money via borger.dk using their NEMID. Failure to do so will result in the money being paid into their state pensions.

“When the last two weeks’ holiday pay will be paid has not yet been agreed, but the parties behind the agreement will decide later in the autumn,” added Hummelgaard.

The holiday pay will not be set off against maintenance benefits and will not affect the possibility of somebody being entitled to a public benefit.


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A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 71 percent of parents have handed over children to daycare in spite of them being sick.

Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

Pill pushers
At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”