New and improved maternity leave entitlements in the civil service
New maternity leave entitlements have been introduced, offering further benefits to civil servants taking maternity leave.
From 1 April 2026, new rules on maternity leave, adoption and care days in the civil service have come into force as part of OK26. The rules give more employees access to pay during leave of absence and strengthen a number of existing maternity leave entitlements.
The information on SDUnet regarding maternity leave and adoption has now been updated to reflect the new rules.
What’s new?
The new rules include, amongst other things:
- More paid partial weeks: The total number of paid partial weeks has been increased from 6 to 8 weeks.
- Improved rights for fathers and co-mothers: It is now possible to receive pay for transferred leave of absence within the first 10 weeks after the birth.
- New rights for co-parents, provided the requirements of the Maternity Leave Act are met.
- 10 extra paid weeks for single parents out of the total 22 weeks.
- 10 additional weeks’ paid leave for parents with sole custody who do not live with the other parent.
- Improved rights in the event of a child’s hospitalisation, as well as better pension cover during extended leave of absence.
Updated maternity pages on SDUnet
In connection with the new rules, SDUnet’s maternity leave pages have been revised.
If you are planning to take maternity leave or adopt a child, we recommend that you familiarise yourself with the updated pages and contact SDU HR if you have any questions regarding your specific situation.