Guide to payment of holiday allowance paid into Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond

When am I able to apply to Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond for payment of my holiday allowance?

Your employer or FerieKonto must pay you the holiday allowance you have accrued, but has not been paid or transferred to you, to a holiday fund by 15 November.

This means that you are able to apply to Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond for payment of your holiday allowance from 15 November.

Example:

Holiday allowance accrued in the holiday year 1.9.2020-31.8.2021, to be taken in the period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021, which has not been transferred or paid, must have been paid to Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond by 15 November 2022.

Legal framework: Section 34, sub-section 3, point 1 of the Danish Holidays Act.

Which holiday fund is holding the holiday allowance that I have accrued?

FerieKonto and most employers pay into Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond. For contact details, please visit www.aff.dk.

If you are employed in an area that is covered by a collective agreement, you may be covered by a different holiday fund. Denmark has approx. 135 holiday funds. A list of these funds can be found here here.

Ask your employer about which fund your holiday allowance has been paid into if you are in doubt.

Am I covered by the Danish Holiday Act?

The provisions contained in the Danish Holiday Act apply to anyone who, for remuneration, performs personal work in an employment relationship.

You are therefore covered by the Danish Holiday Act irrespective of whether you work on a full-time basis or only a few hours, e.g. while you attend school, are in receipt of a state education grant or supplement your old-age pension.

Legal framework: Section 2 of the Danish Holiday Act.

Where do I find the rules?

If your holiday allowance was accrued after 1 September 2020, the current Danish Holiday Act applies. It can be found here.

This guide describes the conditions, documentation requirements and procedures for payment of your accrued holiday allowance that has been paid into a holiday fund.

The guide refers to the Application Form and the Employer Declaration, which you will find here.

Can I be paid my holiday allowance from Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond?

Pursuant to Section 30, sub-section 1, Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond must pay you holiday allowance when

  • your holiday allowance, salary during holiday or holiday supplement has been paid into Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond AND
  • the employee has applied within five years of the expiry of the holiday period AND
  • the holiday has been taken OR
  • the holiday allowance can be paid out without the holiday having been taken

Conditions and documentation requirements based on various scenarios that may provide a basis for payment of holiday allowance are reviewed below. (Nos. 1-6)

  1. I have taken my holiday, without holiday allowance

You may be entitled to payment of your holiday allowance if you

  • have accrued holiday allowance from 1.9.2020-31.8.2021 AND
  • have not received holiday allowance for the holiday you have taken AND
  • have taken holiday with an employer in the holiday period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021 without holiday allowance OR
  • have not taken holiday with an employer and have not been in receipt of certain forms of government welfare benefits on the days on which you took your holiday.

If you have not taken your holiday by 31 December 2021, you lose your right to both holiday and holiday allowance unless you can have your holiday allowance paid out without taking your holiday.

In order for Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond to be able to process your application, you must submit

  • Application Form – payment of unclaimed holiday allowance AND
  • Employer Declaration on Employment, Holiday or Holiday Obstacle (from the employee where you took your holiday) OR
  • an e-mail to Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond via our website at https://aff.dk/kontakt/ stating the reason that you cannot obtain a declaration from your employer (e.g. bankruptcy) AND
  • payslips for the period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021 (if you cannot obtain an Employer Declaration) OR
  • a statement of your income in the period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021 that you will find at https://www.borger.dk/mitoverblik/indkomst-og-skat/indkomst

If you did not have an employer, but have been in receipt of unemployment benefit, sickness benefit, maternity benefit, cash benefit, resource rehabilitation programme benefit or other government benefit when you took your holiday, you should submit

  • Application Form – payment of unclaimed holiday allowance AND
  • an e-mail to the holiday fund via our website at https://aff.dk/kontakt/ from the authority or unemployment fund paying the benefit to confirm that you have taken holiday on the days concerned and have not been paid benefits.

Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond reserves the right to ask you for further documentation.

  1. I have accrued holiday exceeding four weeks (fifth holiday week)

You may be entitled to payment of your holiday allowance without taking your holiday if you

  • were employed by the contributing employer in the period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021 (the holiday period) AND
  • have accrued more than four weeks’ holiday in the period 1.9.2020-31.8.2021 (the holiday year) AND
  • have not been in receipt of unemployment benefit, temporary labour market benefit, cash benefit, early retirement benefit, flexible benefit, flexjob allowance, resource rehabilitation programme benefit, integration benefit, education benefit or social security in the period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021 unless you have a valid reason for being prevented from taking your holiday (‘holiday obstacle’) up to the expiry of the holiday period on 31.12.2021. (see point 6)

In order for Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond to be able to process your application, you must submit

  • Application Form – payment of unclaimed holiday allowance AND
  • Employer Declaration on Employment, Holiday or Holiday Obstacle (from the contributing employer) OR
  • an e-mail to Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond via our website at https://aff.dk/kontakt/ stating the reason that you cannot obtain a declaration from your employer (e.g. bankruptcy) AND
  • payslips for the period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021 and (if you cannot obtain an Employer Declaration) OR
  • a statement of your income in the period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021 that you will find at https://www.borger.dk/mitoverblik/indkomst-og-skat/indkomst

If you were not employed on a full-time basis by the contributing employer in the entire period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021, you need to submit

  • a statement of your income in the period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021 that you will find at

https://www.borger.dk/mitoverblik/indkomst-og-skat/indkomst OR

  • pension statement re the holiday period (if you are a pensioner)

Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond reserves the right to ask you for further documentation.

  1. I have left my position

You may be entitled to payment of unclaimed holiday allowance if

  • your employment with the contributing employer terminated by 31.12.2021 (expiry of the holiday period) AND
  • You have not been in receipt of unemployment benefit, temporary labour market benefit, cash benefit, early retirement benefit, flexible benefit, flexjob allowance, resource rehabilitation programme benefit, integration benefit, education benefit or social security in the period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021 unless you have a valid reason for being prevented from taking your holiday (‘holiday obstacle’) up to the expiry of the holiday period on 31.12.2021.

In order for Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond to be able to process your application, you must submit

  • Application Form – payment of unclaimed holiday allowance AND
  • Employer Declaration on Employment, Holiday or Holiday Obstacle (from the contributing employee whose employment you have left) OR
  • an e-mail to Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond via our website at https://aff.dk/kontakt/ stating the reason that you cannot obtain a declaration from your employer (e.g. bankruptcy) AND
    • documentation that you have left your position, e.g.
      • a statement of your income in the period 1.9.2020-31.12.2021 that you will find at https://www.borger.dk/mitoverblik/indkomst-og-skat/indkomst OR
      • pension statement re the holiday period (if you are a pensioner) OR
      • notice of termination OR
      • contract for fixed-term employment

Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond reserves the right to ask you for further documentation.

  1. FerieKonto has attempted to pay me holiday allowance

You may be entitled to be paid unclaimed holiday allowance if FerieKonto has attempted to pay you your holiday allowance, i.e. if you

  • have received a letter from FerieKonto stating that FerieKonto has attempted to pay you your holiday allowance AND
  • have applied to Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond within five years of the expiry of the holiday period.

The reason the payment has not been successful may be that you have no NemKonto.

In order for Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond to be able to process your application, you must submit

  • Application Form – payment of unclaimed holiday allowance AND
  • the letters you have received from FerieKonto stating that payment has not been possible AND
  • an official letter from your bank confirming your account number (if you do not have NemKonto). If you are with a non-Danish bank, the letter should state your IBAN and SWIFT numbers.

The reason we require a letter from your bank is that we need documentation to prove that you are the account holder.

Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond reserves the right to ask you for further documentation.

  1. I am the relative of a deceased person who had unclaimed holiday allowance owing

On the death of an employee, the unclaimed holiday allowance is paid to the deceased’s estate.

In order for Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond to be able to process your application, you must submit

  • Application Form – payment of unclaimed holiday allowance AND
  • letter of administration

Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond reserves the right to ask you for further documentation.

  1. I have been prevented from taking my holiday

You may be entitled to a payment of holiday allowance for up to four weeks’ holiday if you

  • have accrued holiday allowance from 1.9.2020-31.8.2021 AND
  • have been prevented from taking your holiday in the period until 31.12.2021 AND
  • have taken your holiday in the period 1.1.2022-31.12.2022 OR
  • have been prevented from taking your holiday in the period until 31.12.2022

You can view acceptable reasons for being prevented from taking holiday here (so-called ‘holiday obstacles’): https://www.borger.dk/arbejde-dagpenge-ferie/Oversigt-ferie/forhindret-i-at-holde-ferie

In order for Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond to be able to process your application, you must submit

  • Application Form – payment of unclaimed holiday allowance AND
  • Employer Declaration on Employment, Holiday or Holiday Obstacle (from the contributing employee where you were prevented from taking your holiday) OR
  • “Paying authority’s declaration on holiday or holiday obstacle.” (if you were not employed when you were prevented from taking holiday) OR
  • an e-mail to Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond via our website at https://aff.dk/kontakt/ stating the reason that you cannot obtain a declaration from your employer (e.g. bankruptcy) AND include applicable documentation which may be:
    • decision from Lønmodtagernes Garantifond (submit entire decision)
    • payment specification for sickness benefit (to be submitted for the entire period 1.9.2020-31.1.2022)
    • payment specification for maternity or parental leave etc. pursuant to the Danish Maternity Act
    • additional state education grant for birth and adoption
    • documentation of positions of trust (mayor, minister, member of parliament)
    • documentation of serving of sentence (to be submitted for the entire period 1.9.2020-31.1.2022)
    • decision of award of lost earnings pursuant to Section 42 of the Danish Service Act
  • Write to the holiday fund by Digital Post or use the contact form at https://aff.dk/kontakt/ if you are uncertain or you do not think that the above applies to you.

Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond reserves the right to ask you for further documentation.

Am I able to complain if Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond does not pay my holiday allowance?

The decision made by Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond cannot be appealed.

If you do not agree with the outcome of your application for payment of unclaimed holiday allowance, please refer to the legal options available to you.

What happens to my holiday allowance if it is not paid to me?

Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond uses unclaimed holiday allowance for statutory holiday purposes.

Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond is a public body that uses its funds to pay for holidays for disadvantaged families and children.

Find out more about Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond’s activities in the fund’s annual reports. These can be found at www.aff.dk.

If you are covered by a collective agreement, you may be covered by another holiday fund and may be eligible e.g. to rent a holiday home etc.

Effective date

This guide was most recently updated on 16.5.2023.