New rules on a child's third sick day enter into force

Employees can now be granted full or partial paid leave on a child’s third sick day. In addition, a “sent home day” is introduced, which functions as a kind of “day zero.” This means that parents can leave work to pick up a sick child without using the child’s first sick day.

As is already the case for a child’s first and second sick days, leave must be agreed with (approved by) the immediate manager and is conditional on operational requirements.

SDU will implement the rules with effect from 6 May 2026. Guidelines and relevant information pages on SDUnet will be updated in connection with the implementation.

You can find the updated page regarding the sent home day and the child’s third sick day at the following link.

In connection with registration (in mTIME, Buanco and HCM) of a sent home day or a child’s third sick day, the process will be as follows:

• mTIME: You must register in the same way as when registering a child’s first and second sick days.
  The absence reasons are called “Barns tredje sygedag/Child’s third sick day” and “Barns sygdom – hjemkaldelsesdag/Child’s sickness – Sent home day”
  
  
• Buanco: You must register in the same way as when registering a child’s first and second sick days.
  The absence reasons are called “Barns 3. sygedag” and “Hjemkaldelsesdag, barn syg
  
  
• HCM (relevant for absence administrators): In HCM, registration is carried out in the same way as for the first and second sick days, but with the indication “child’s third sick day” or “child sent home day”.

Pending the issuance of a circular on a child’s illness, SDU reserves the right to reclaim salary if the agreement on a child’s illness—contrary to expectations—is not implemented.

If you have any questions on registration in mTIME, please mail us at hcm-support@sdu.dk.