Glossary

Many words and terms are employed in connection with sick leave. On this page you can quickly get explanations for the most common terms.

Other actor (anden aktør)
During sick leave you may be referred to another actor who carries out some of the municipality tasks, for example, company internship and clarification in relation to the labour market. Other actors typically do not have power of authority but have an obligation to inform the caseworker who makes the referral should there be a change in your case. Trade union

A trade union can assist with legal aid, explaining regulations and options during sick leave, among other things. Many unions also employ a social adviser specifically to assist members who fall ill. Ask your union and make sure that the person you speak with is familiar with statutory regulations concerning sickness benefit. If there is a possibility of having the social adviser attending meetings as an observer, then we recommend this course.

Fast-Track
Extraordinary intervention initiated early by the municipality. Both you and your employer can request a Fast-track solution. This is a good idea if there is a risk that your connection to the labour market is threatened.

Insurance
An insurance company can help with financial security, if you suffer a loss of earnings potential due to illness.

Medical certificate
A medical certificate is a doctor's declaration that documents the reasons for absence.

Help aids
Help aids can support the absent employee when he/she returns to work. There are a multitude of aids, a raise/lower desk, for example, which most of us take for granted, is one. But it also includes special machinery in agriculture, for example, or an automatic gear shift in vehicles if it is difficult to change gears when driving.

Job clarification process
A process that can be initiated when the entitlement to sickness benefit expires (after 22 weeks within the first 9 months) and a person is still unavailable for work.

Job Centre
The Job Centre is the municipal department that handles your case when you are on sick leave, unemployed or in another way absent from the labour market. The Job Centre focuses on employment and can involve a lot of assisting public departments in efforts to keep you in the job. In relation to people with reduced work capacity, either temporary or permanent, the aim is to achieve as stable a connection to the labour market as possible.

Municipality
Your municipality pays sickness benefit either to you or your employer.

Unemployment benefit
Unemployment benefit is a public payment to persons who cannot take care of themselves or their families. There are a number of conditions that must be met, and in addition income from spouses is included in the calculation as well as current insurance and loss of earnings potential. If you have savings or private funds, you must spend these before becoming entitled to unemployment benefit.

Doctor's certificate
A doctor's certificate is a statement from a doctor on your illness and its consequences. There are many different forms and we recommend that you allow your employer and the Job Centre obtain the doctor's certificates they need to assess your case.

Mentor
A mentor supports or helps keep a person in their job. You can, for example, have a mentor appointed at work if there are things that, due to illness or similar, are difficult or impossible to carry out. You can also get a mentor during work experience.

Declaration of work capacity
A declaration that your employer may request, particularly if there is doubt about whether you can return to performing your former work tasks. The declaration can also be used if you have intermittent but frequent sick leave, in order to focus on how best to assist you in retaining your job.

NemRefusion
This is where employers and self-employed report illness and maternity/paternity leave so that they can be reimbursed for the wage they pay during sick leave and maternity leave..

Pension company
Like trade unions, pension companies often employ a social adviser to assist those on sick leave with guidance, for example, and information about rights and obligations. Social advisers from pension companies often attend Job Centre meetings as observers

Reimbursement of sickness benefit
The employer has a possibility of having sickness benefit reimbursed under certain circumstances. If you fulfil the requirements to receive sickness benefit and you receive salary during the illness, your employer will receive sickness benefit from the municipality. In this way it is not quite so expensive to have an employee who is ill, and the employer is not forced to dismiss an employee due to illness as early as they might otherwise have to.

Round table discussion
Round table discussion is a collective term for when several people from different departments or various professionals involved in your case, meet and discuss the status and plan for a return to work. This may, for example, be a meeting with your employer where there is also a caseworker from the Job Centre present. There are no rules for who or how many people may participate in a round table discussion. The purpose is to bring together all the relevant persons at an action-focused meeting.

Caseworker
A Job Centre caseworker is commonly a social adviser or social worker. You will be appointed a caseworker for the duration of your illness who will be your primary contact person at the Job Centre. This is the person responsible for following up on progress and deciding if, for example, you should be offered a course or process, for example, with another actor.

Healthcare scheme/assurance
A healthcare scheme/assurance contains several offers for both treatment and prevention. Your employer, pension or insurance company possibly has a healthcare/assurance scheme that applies to you. Ask your employer.

Sickness benefit
You are entitled to sickness benefit if you are ill and:

Do not receive full pay during illness.Are unemployed.Are self-employed and insured.

Sickness benefit is a temporary benefit that either the employer gets reimbursed for paying salary during illness, or which you receive if you are not entitled to pay during illness.

The period in which you can receive sickness benefit is limited to 22 weeks within the last 9 months.

You will be assessed every 4th week during illness to determine whether you are well or continue to meet the conditions for receiving sickness benefit.

When the 22 weeks expire, an assessment must be made to determine if you should transfer to a job clarification process or whether your case can be extended.

Duration declaration
An employer can request a declaration of duration if sick leave is longer than 14 days. The purpose is to have a doctor assess how long sick leave will last, see the Salaried Employees Act § 5, para. 4. This only applies if you are covered by the Salaried Employees Act.

Work experience/internship
Work experience can be a gentler re-start following long-term sick leave. It is a way of getting as close as possible to a realistic workplace, but still ensuring that you are safeguarded. For example, you could begin with reduced hours – down to 10 hours a week – or take several breaks, or be freed from performing certain special tasks. Work experience can also be part of a job clarification process. If it has been concluded that you have permanently reduced work capacity, this must be documented before your case can progress further in the Job Centre system, and this can take place via work experience.

§56-agreement
An agreement between employer, employee and municipality which gives the employer the opportunity of being reimbursed for sick leave due to chronic or long-term illness.