Parental leave and senior part-time work – a good framework for where you are in life

"In the workplace, it must be taken into account that we employees are at different points in life and therefore have different needs and wishes. This is also reflected in the terms of the collective agreement between Nordea and Finansforbundet in Nordea," says Jeppe Lermark Pieszak, board member of Finansforbundet in Nordea.

Flexibility for seniors

One of the elements is increased opportunities for senior part-time, where employees aged 60 or over can choose between having their weekly working hours reduced or placing similar time off as consecutive days or single days. 

When you are on a senior part-time basis, both the employee's and employer's pension contributions are maintained.

In addition, employees on senior part-time have the opportunity to receive the pension contribution as salary. 

"In this way, you can fully or partially compensate for the salary reduction that comes with the reduced working hours," says board member Ole Lund Jensen. 

However, it is a prerequisite that you discuss the consequences with your pension company in advance.

The dear children ...

Parental leave
In the financial sector, the opportunities for maternity leave are far better than they are as a standard in the labour market.

The Salaried Employees Act entitles the mother to half pay for up to 18 weeks (4 weeks of pregnancy leave and 14 weeks of maternity leave) as well as parental leave with parental benefits. The father is only entitled to 2 weeks of paternity leave with parental benefits in connection with the birth and parental leave with parental benefits.

In contrast, as a mother who is employed under the standard collective agreement in the financial sector, you can take up to 30 weeks of leave with full pay, and as a father/co-mother, you can take up to 26 weeks of leave with full pay, as described in more detail here.

Child part-time
As a parent, you are entitled to part-time work for children for up to 18 months, during which the working hours can be reduced to 30 hours. The 18 months can possibly be divided into shorter periods - but at least 3 months at a time.

Freedom in the event of children's illness to the extent necessary
At Nordea, the rules for parental leave follow the sector, but one of the major improvements in the latest company agreement in Nordea is the rules for children's illness.

"Previously, you could be absent for up to five days, and this is also the case in the rest of the financial sector. But during the collective agreement negotiations, Nordea and Finansforbundet in Nordea agreed on a pilot project where you can get time off in the event of a child's illness to the extent necessary – i.e. without any maximum," says board member Marianne Bjørn Winther.

In the event of absence of more than two working days, Nordea may ask the employee for a reason why it is not possible to have the child cared for in any other way, and after absence for more than five consecutive days, Nordea may make further absence conditional on the employee presenting a medical certificate. Nordea will pay for the medical certificate if necessary.

'The best employee benefit you have' about salary, holiday allowance, extra days off and pension