Volunteer work

Can you volunteer when you receive unemployment benefits or early retirement?

If you work while receiving unemployment benefits or early retirement, we generally deduct it from your payments, regardless of whether you are paid or not. However, there are certain types of voluntary work you can do without it being deducted from your unemployment benefits.

First and foremost, it is a prerequisite that:

• your volunteer work takes place in Denmark.
• your volunteer work is not related to private business activity.
• your volunteer work is not subject to employment law obligations.
• your volunteer work is done for a voluntary organization/association whose purpose is not to make a profit.

In the field of unemployment, we distinguish between several types of voluntary work, some of which must be deducted from unemployment benefits or early retirement benefits. Below you can read more about the different types of activities and deductions.

Volunteer activities that do not result in deductions from your unemployment benefits or early retirement

Activities in voluntary associations/organizations do not result in deductions from unemployment benefits if they are not offered as regular work or if they do not require special training. The activities that do not result in deductions are typically hobby-like activities that you participate in out of interest. This could be, for example:

• Everyday activities in social cafes, community centers, shelters, etc: E.g. making coffee, helping with cooking, chatting with guests, etc.
• Participation in general associations: These can be church, cultural, residents' associations, scout clubs, stamp clubs, bridge clubs and hobby clubs.
• Sports activities: including as a coach in associations that do not usually employ paid coaches.
• Visiting friend: including shopping help, neighborly help 
• Collector for relief organizations or thrift store clerk: E.g. Danish Red Cross or activities in humanitarian organizations.

Volunteering for volunteer organizations

If you are on unemployment benefits, you can do voluntary unpaid work for volunteer organizations for up to 44 hours a month without deductions from your unemployment benefits.
If you are on early retirement, you can do voluntary unpaid work for up to 65 hours a month without deductions from your early retirement pension. 

This applies to work that is also offered as paid work or requires special training. This could be, for example:

• Advice, including telephone advice, that requires or presupposes special training on e.g. social conditions and rights as well as financial issues.
• Pastor or psychologist in shelters, social/humanitarian institutions/organizations/associations for e.g. vulnerable groups.
• Lawyer in legal aid.

Volunteering in primary operations and/or maintenance

Volunteer work that relates to the primary operation and maintenance of the organization/association will generally result in deductions from your unemployment benefit from the first hour. This applies to:

• Primary operations: For example, human resources, financial and organizational management, but also work or tasks that a public authority is obliged to perform. Including delivering food to the elderly.
• Maintenance: Functions that help ensure that the physical environment is in order. For example, supplying water, heating or electrical work, where it is a prerequisite that the individual has a license. Maintenance can also include daily cleaning, painting or similar.

Primary operational tasks that are exempt from deductions

You can receive unemployment benefits without deductions while performing primary operational tasks if:

• the unpaid work has always been done by unpaid labor.
• the unpaid work in similar organizations is done by unpaid labor.

Operational tasks can be smaller administrative tasks such as

• archive work, switchboard or receptionist duties.
• Minor coordination tasks, e.g. for fundraising, arranging volunteer work, putting together shift schedules.
• work as a bookkeeper or accountant in smaller associations, clubs, etc.

Maintenance tasks that are exempt from deductions

You can receive unemployment benefits without deductions while performing maintenance tasks if:

• the unpaid work can be equated with ordinary maintenance and repair of your own home.
• the unpaid work is done occasionally.
• the unpaid work has always been performed by unpaid labor in the organization, etc.
• the unpaid work in similar organizations etc. is performed by unpaid labor.
• the unpaid work can be performed without requiring authorization.

Examples of maintenance tasks that do not result in deductions are:

• occasional cleaning or the annual main cleaning of the clubhouse. It can also be painting the clubhouse or the scout hut,
• Drawing of ball courts,
• winterization of Sea Scouts' boats and the like.