Membership - financing - organisation

In Denmark, there is no obligatory unemployment insurance. Only persons who are voluntary members of an unemployment fund (arbejds oshedskasse, AK) are insured against a loss of earnings owing to unemployment. Non-members must rely on social assistance benefits awarded by the municipality if they lose then-jobs. According to the law, an AK is 

Traditionally, the AKs cooperate closely with the trade unions however, there is also an AK for the self-employed. Membership must not be made to depend on the applicant s affiliation with a trade union, but the latter may require its members to join the corresponding AK. Among other criteria, membership is possible from the age of 18-63, and is preconditioned on a gainful activity in the sector represented by the AK as well as on residence in Denmark. Standard contribution amounts do not exist depending on the insurant s age and employment status (e g. recipient of early [partial] retirement benefit - efterlori), the annual amount ranges from 4.8 to 7 times the daily unemployment benefit (dagpenge) to be claimed by the insurant upon occurrence of the risk. 

In a certain sense, employers also contribute to insurance financing since all employers are obliged by law to pay every dismissed employee who is an AK member the unemployment benefit for the first and second day of unemployment (Dagpengegodtgorelse), unless the dismissal is fundamentally attributed to the employee. The insurant is not entitled to claim unemployment benefits for these two days. 

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