The scheme covers parents of children who, due to a specific COVID-19 infection case at their school or daycare institution, are sent home from school as close contacts of infected children, as recommended by the health authorities, without necessarily showing symptoms of COVID-19, as well as parents with children who have been tested positive for COVID-19.
The scheme covers parents who have children up to and including 13 years old.
Unemployment benefits for a total of 10 working days per child are awarded during the life of the scheme. The unemployment benefits are paid for a full day of work for the employer in question. The benefits can only be provided to one parent per day that the child is sent home from school.
The parents covered by the scheme must meet the conditions of entitlement to unemployment benefit under the Maternity Leave Act, including the employment requirement. The scheme only covers workers who are in employment.
If the parents cohabit and if they are both employees, it is a condition that none of them can work from home and that they do not have days off to care for dependants or lieu days that can be used to care for the child.
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Furthermore, in cases where a child has been infected with COVID-19, the parents must have used up the child’s first and second day of sickness. However, the agreement does not decide on any entitlements to a first and second day of sickness if infection has not been detected.
Furthermore, it is a condition for receiving the benefits that no wages are paid out for that same day and that no vacation is taken that day.
The parents must document that the school or day care institution has sent the child home from school due to a specific case of COVID-19 infection. The date when the child was sent home from school must appear from the documentation.
If the days under this scheme are to be used because the child has been tested positive for COVID-19, proof of the positive test must be provided.
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In addition, both parents must give a solemn declaration stating the last day of being sent home/sickness and declare that they are not receiving wages e.g. for the days for which they have applied for compensation.
If both parents are employees and share the same residence, a declaration from the employers of both parents must be provided which states that the parents do not have the opportunity to work from home and that they do not have unused days off to care for dependants or lieu days or any first and second days of sickness in case of infection, and that wages or other income are not paid out to the parent who stays at home during the days for which the applicant is seeking compensation.
If the parents do not share a residence, a solemn declaration from the employer is only required from the parent who applies.
The employer must report the absence via Nemrefusion. The scheme does not introduce a right to absence from work or a right to pay during absence from work. The scheme, however, does not alter the current rules or agreements on the right to absence from work or the right to pay during absence from work.
The maternity benefits are paid out directly to the parent and cannot be paid as reimbursement to the employer as there is no entitlement to the benefits if wages are also paid out by the employer.
The scheme covers days of absence from the adoption of the legislative proposal and until 31 December 2020.