24 weeks paid parental leave for mom, dad, and co-parents

- I had a baby boy, Willum, in December. He arrived a month earlier than expected, so my manager and I got busy getting everything arranged. I initially took two weeks of parental leave and two weeks of vacation. I'll take the last nine weeks of parental leave when my girlfriend’s parental leave ends. I really enjoy going to work and was a little worried about how I would feel being at home on parental leave. But the first month just flew by, so I have no doubt that it will be a good experience, says Troels Gran Sakstrup.

Paid parental leave has not previously been a big topic at Danske Fragtmænd, where approximately 82 percent of all employees are men. But for CEO Jørn P. Skov, the new parental leave law has given rise to a reassessment of the company's parental leave policy.

- When the new parental leave law was passed, it prompted us to take a closer look at Danske Fragtmænd's parental leave conditions. Were they competitive and, most importantly, could we, as one of Denmark's largest companies, take the lead and contribute to ensuring equal conditions for women and men in the labor market? Based on these thoughts, we decided to offer 24 weeks of paid parental leave. whether you are a man or a woman, says Jørn P. Skov.

Although Danske Fragtmænd is far from the first company in Denmark to ensure equal conditions for men and women during parental leave, it is still a big step in the otherwise somewhat old-fashioned transportation industry.

- The transportation industry has long suffered from an old-fashioned image, and we have challenges in finding qualified workers. However, Danske Fragtmænd has been modernized in recent years, and the change in our parental leave conditions is yet another initiative to make Danske Fragtmænd an attractive and modern workplace, says Jørn P. Skov.

In the summer of 2022, the earmarked parental leave was the subject of a many debates in the press and on social media. Not everyone was enthusiastic about the fact that the state was now going to interfere in the distribution of parental leave. Warehouse employee Troels Gran Sakstrup says that he would most likely not have taken parental leave if the law had not been changed.

- I wouldn't have chosen to take parental leave if it wasn't for the new legislation. My girlfriend would probably have taken it all herself. In that way, the legislation works as it should. I'm really happy that Danske Fragtmænd is showing responsibility and has changed the company's parental leave conditions. It means a lot to my family that I don't have to go on parental benefits, Troels Gran Sakstrup concludes.