Company internship programme

An unemployed person can be offered a company internship if there is a need to clarify employment goals or if the unemployed person lacks professional, social or linguistic skills in order to get a job.

In a company internship, the unemployed person carries out an internship that can last up to four weeks if they are a member of an unemployment fund and up to 13 weeks if they are a starting allowance or cash benefits recipient and lack work experience or have been unemployed for a long time. After a specific assessment, it is possible to extend the internship period beyond 13 weeks.

The job centre and the company agree on the content of the company internship and the unemployed person performs work that would otherwise be performed as ordinary paid work.

The purpose of company internships is to clarify the unemployed person’s employment goals and to improve qualifications so that the unemployed person can get a job more easily.

The unemployed person is not employed by the company during the internship, but receives his/her usual benefits during the internship. Starting allowance recipients also receive employment supplement per hour.

It is possible to receive subsidies for aids and work tools during the company internship, and it is also possible to buy an employee for a mentoring. For certain unemployed people it will also be possible to receive an allowance for travelling expenses. 

Establishment of company internship programmes at the University of Southern Denmark is always coordinated with the employee responsible for the inclusive labour market at Human Resource services.

First, Human Resource services examines whether the conditions in the internal guidelines for company internships are met. Human Resource services ensures the proper administrative procedure with the municipality are followed. Human Resource services ensures receipt of permit.

A person in a company internship may not start their internship at the University of Southern Denmark until a permit has been issued by the municipality and received by Human Resource services, as the grant is the intern’s insurance.

At the Central Liaison Committee meeting on 20 September 2010, it was decided that company internships at the University of Southern Denmark require the approval of a union representative. Therefore, this is a local agreement at the University in relation to company internships.

The purpose is to prepare citizens with limitations in their ability to work in relation to the labour market as quickly as possible, for example, by placing the citizen in companies for further preparation and training.

The citizen is prepared in relation to an ordinary job, rehabilitation, education, flexi-job or other. The target group is citizens on sick leave, regardless of age, who need more preparation than the social worker in charge can give, and for whom other efforts cannot be described in advance.

Labour market testing is treated according to the same guidelines as company internship programmes.

Employment with wage subsidy is an offer for recipients of unemployment benefits and welfare claimants with the right to activation. The employer employs the person as unemployed and receives a wage subsidy. The employment is agreed on in collaboration with the unemployed person, the job centre and the company. Employment with wage subsidy is often a fast track to permanent employment on ordinary terms. Here, the unemployed can retrain or strengthen their qualifications as well as apply knowledge from courses or try out a completely new type of job.

If an unemployed person is employed in a wage subsidy job, he or she must still be registered at the job centre. And the unemployed must continue to actively seek ordinary employment. The aim of the offer is that it leads to an ordinary job – but not necessarily at the same place as where you are employed with wage subsidy.

A set of rules are designed to prevent employers from abusing the scheme. For example, there must be additional employment, and there must be a reasonable ratio between the number of ordinary employees and persons employed with wage subsidies. It is also important that employee representatives participate in the employment of people in jobs with wage subsidies.

If an unemployed person is employed with wage subsidy in a public enterprise, the salary may not exceed the unemployment benefits rate. Working hours depend on the specific unemployment benefits rate.

You are eligible for mileage allowance if the daily transport between your place of residence and the work place exceeds 24 km.
Employment with a wage subsidy is covered by the same legislation as ordinary employment.

At the University of Southern Denmark, this means, among other things, that people in wage subsidy jobs must earn pension. The pension is based on the salary the person would receive in an ordinary job. To this labour market contributions must also be added.
Contrary to what the job centres/second agents may claim, a wage subsidy job at the University of Southern Denmark is therefore not cost-neutral.

Establishment of a job with a wage subsidy is always coordinated with the employee responsible for the inclusive labour market at Human Resource services.

First, Human Resource services make sure that the conditions in the internal guidelines for wage subsidies are met. Human Resource services fills in the relevant form for the job centre/second agent and ensures receipt of permit.

On the basis of the grant, Human Resource services draws up a contract. A job with wage subsidy at the University of Southern Denmark must always be approved by a union representative.

Under no circumstances may a person start in a wage subsidy job before Human Resource services has received a grant from the municipality and approval from a union representative.

A light duty job is a job for people with a lasting reduced working capacity. The employment takes place on special terms according to the collective agreement for the area in question – the social chapter.

The special terms can, for instance, be special functions, reduced working hours, more breaks than usual and individual pay. Persons who are unable to work on normal terms and who receive early retirement benefits may be eligible for a wage subsidy job for early retirees.
This was formerly called a light duty job. The employer receives a subsidy. Pay and working conditions are agreed on with the employer and the employee.
Light duty jobs/wage subsidy jobs are treated according to the same guidelines as jobs with wage subsidies.