Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1950-05-09
Denmark
Old Age Pensions

contributory member - is entitled
from his 65th year, for women
the Goth year. to receive a certain
monthly pension, provided his or
her income and property do not
exceed certain figures. The amount
OF the pension varies according
to the place of residence, being
highest in the capital and lowest
in the country districts. At pres
ent, the pension for single man
in Copenhagen is about 1000 kr.
yearly, to which are added various
special benefits, such as free fuel
and the like, also in special cases
help to pay house rent, and special
supplements for persons who, ow-
ing to sickness, disablement, or
other reasons find it difficult to
make ends meet on the regular
pension.
In various parts of the country
numbers of Homes for the Aged
have been built where aged persons
may receive the attention and care
they require, but apart from that
a large number of small modern
dwellings in recent years been built
by the municipal authorities, es-
pecially for old age pensioners. The
rent for such dwellings is kept at
a very low level.
There are more than 1000 old
age pensioners in Denmark, or
Sc of the whole population. This
is 45Gc of all the persons who full
fill the age conditions. The cost
of the old age pension system
amounted in 1916 Al to 800 mil
lion kr, betrayed exclusively by
the State and Municipalities.
Pensions to the Disabled
In order to obtain invalidity
pension a person must be either
a regular or contributory member
of health insurance society,
whereby also his subscription
towards the invalidity insurance
is reduced. Persons fulfilling this
condition, who become disabled to
a certain degree forseen by the
law, become entitled to receive
invalidity pension to the S a m e
amount as old age pensions. There
are ar present about 10000 persons
or 19c of the whole population,
who receive such pensions. The
expenditure on this acc oun t
amounted to 76 cillion Kr., in
1916 AZ.
Unemployment Insurance
The unemployment insurance
system of Denmark rests on a
basis of absolute voluntariness.
and in the main the societies CO.
operate with the trade unions
which have also orally
initiated the establishment of Un-
employment Insurance Societies
The State and Municipalities, how
ever, grant considerable contribu-
tons to the maintenance of the
unemployment benefit societies,
and employers have to contribute
their share. The total expenditure
amounted in 1916 AZ to some ITS
million kr.; of this sum the in
sured themselves paid about two
fifths and the State a little more.
The membership Of the unemploy-
ment benefit societies authorized
by the State numbers about 6O0,-
600, a figure which is practically
equal to that of organized workers.
The benefits paid by the societies
varies somewhat, but the Unem-
ployment Insurance Act fixes a
maximum limit according to the
average earnings in the trade in
volved
Compulsory Accident Insurance
Every employer is obliged to
keep his workers and employees
insured against accidents during
their work. The insured are en-
titled to compensation and medical
treatment and care. when on ac-
count of an accident in their work.
they become temporarily or perm
inantly disabled. By far the great
er part of the costs are paid by
the employer.