Comparability

Comparability - geographical

The statistics are very much influenced by local Danish legislation, which makes comparison with similar statistics from other countries difficult. In Denmark, for example, parents on cash assistance are not entitled to parental allowance, but are exempted from being available for the labor market for a period corresponding to the allowance period, which is why cash assistance becomes a kind of maternity allowance, which is not included in the Danish figures. In addition, the algorithm calculation that determines whether parents are eligible to take maternity leave on daily benefits, and should therefore be included in the counts with zero days if they are eligible and there is no registration, does not exist in a similar way in other countries.

However, the dissemination presents the pedagogical challenge that the very central figures, the average number of days on maternity leave held by the mother or father, respectively, can be calculated in six different ways, which individually, depending on the problem, can be claimed to be the "right". The six ways are 1. Directly from the administrative data to count persons who in a given year have received maternity benefit, as well as the associated days. 2. Directly from the administrative data to count fathers, mothers and days with maternity benefits children born in a given year, where the child appears in the administrative data. 3. Count fathers, mothers and days with maternity benefits for children born in a given year in which the child appears in Statistics Denmark's population register. 4. Count fathers, mothers and days with maternity benefits for children born in a given year in which the child appears in Statistics Denmark's population register, but only for persons who, according to Statistics Denmark's labor market register, are entitled to receive maternity benefit. 5. Same as 4), but we add the condition that the parents must be cohabiting. 6. Same as 5), but we add the condition that the wife or husband must also be entitled.

Furthermore, the counting unit, number of days, can be calculated in at least three different ways: number of calendar days, number of working days converted to calendar days and number of full-time working days converted to calendar days.

The number of combinations thus becomes theoretical and partly also in practice: 18. One must therefore be careful when comparing figures for parental leave from different countries.

Comparability over time

• Year 2000: Earmarked paternity leave for men in weeks 26-27.
• Year 2002: Total maternity and paternity leave up from 26 weeks to 46 weeks. Earmarked paternity leave for men in weeks 26-27 abolished.
• Year 2007: Data source switches to KMD-Maternity
• Year 2012: Data source switches to KMD-Opus Maternity
• Year 2017: Data source switches to UDK-Maternity
• Year 2022: Earmarked maternity leave for men is increased from 2 to 11 weeks. Earmarked maternity leave for women reduced by 3 weeks. Parental leave is reduced from 32 weeks to 26 weeks. Entry into force 2 August 2022.

Coherence - cross domain

Data from 'Benefits in connection with childbirth' is published quarterly in connection with the the statistic ’Persons on public benefits'. In these statistics, however, days on maternity benefit are prioritized in cases where there is conflicting information, which is why the figures will rarely be the same as in the primary statistics. Maternity allowance days are also included in a larger context in the statistics Labor market accounts and Absence Statistics.

Coherence - internal

All register variables in the Barsels Statistics Register, which are taken from other registers in Statistics Denmark, such as highest completed education, employment rate, monthly salary, etc. are set to the value immediately up to the child's birth, and thus provide a consistent snapshot of the parents in question. The meaning of "immediately up to" depends on the data source, but is in many cases clarified in the register by the addition of a reference date.