Co-parents and surrogate mothers employed by the Danish Regions will now receive salary during their maternity leave following an agreement between the regions and professional organizations. This agreement supplements existing maternity leave arrangements and impacts approximately 150,000 regionally employed individuals.

The new entitlement aims to align with existing legislation granting maternity leave with benefits to surrogate mothers and parents using surrogacy since January 1st. While the law provided for leave, the salary component required a separate agreement between labor market parties, which has now been secured.

The rules, effective from January, also allow both parents in a couple using surrogacy to be legally recognized as parents, a change that particularly benefits same-sex male couples, where previously only one parent could be recognized.

This agreement is intended to bridge the gap until the next collective bargaining negotiation in 2026, ensuring continued support for co-parents and surrogate mothers employed within the Danish Regions.