How far in advance must a work schedule be published in Denmark?

The short answer: Denmark does not have one standard notice period for every employee schedule. Start with the collective agreement and employment contract. For wholly or mostly unpredictable work patterns, the employee must also be told when work may be assigned and what minimum notice applies.

Parts of the HORESTA/3F area use a specific four-week rule. That does not make four weeks a general requirement for every restaurant, café or other business.

This guide provides general information. Check the applicable collective agreement, contract and local agreements, and obtain professional advice before making major or permanent changes.

Find the notice period that applies

Situation	What to check
Predictable hours without a collective agreement	Contract, employee handbook, local agreement, established practice and the agreed work pattern.
Wholly or mostly unpredictable hours	Reference days and hours, minimum notice and any cancellation deadline.
Restaurant or fast-food business covered by the relevant HORESTA/3F agreement	Four weeks before the schedule takes effect, normally 14 days for changes and one week for compelling reasons.
Major permanent change to working hours	Whether the change must be notified using the employee's individual notice period.

Use this order:

1. Confirm whether the workplace and employee are covered by a collective agreement.
2. Find the rules for both initial publication and later changes.
3. Check the contract, handbook and any local agreement.
4. Decide whether the work pattern is predictable or unpredictable.
5. Record the notice period and communication method used by the business.

Two businesses in the same industry may follow different rules. Do not copy another workplace's notice period without checking your own basis.

Example from the HORESTA/3F area

For restaurants and fast-food businesses covered by the relevant HORESTA/3F collective agreement, 3F states that:

• the schedule must show the start and end of working time and breaks;
• employees must receive it four weeks before it takes effect;
• changes normally require 14 days' notice;
• one week's notice may apply for compelling reasons.

HORESTA states that the OK25 agreements run until 29.02.2028. Check the exact agreement and employee group. A restaurant or café is not automatically covered simply because of its industry.

Read 3F's working-time guidance for hotels and restaurants and HORESTA's OK25 overview. You can also see how planning typically works for restaurants with changing staffing demand.

Unpredictable shifts and on-call work

The Danish Act on Employment Certificates and Certain Working Conditions contains specific rules for wholly or mostly unpredictable work patterns. Employers must state, among other things:

• that the schedule is variable;
• any guaranteed paid hours;
• the days and hours in which work may be assigned;
• the employee's minimum notice;
• any deadline for cancelling an assignment.

The Act does not set one minimum notice period for everyone. If a shift falls outside the stated reference periods or is offered with less notice than stated, the employee can generally refuse it without adverse consequences.

A business may still offer an urgent shift, and the employee may accept voluntarily. The important distinction is that the business may not be able to require the employee to take it.

Example with 72 hours' notice

An on-call employee's contract allows shifts from Monday to Sunday between 08:00 and 24:00 with at least 72 hours' notice. On Friday evening, the manager offers a Saturday shift at 09:00. The employee may accept, but can generally refuse without adverse consequences if the rules on unpredictable work apply.

Changing a published schedule

Sickness, changing bookings or an event can make an adjustment necessary. Before changing the schedule, check:

• the collective agreement's notice for changes;
• the contract and agreed work pattern;
• whether the change is temporary or permanent;
• how significant it is for the employee;
• how the employee must be informed.

Wording such as “variable working hours” does not necessarily give the business unlimited freedom to move shifts from day to day. The published schedule should remain current until the change has been approved and communicated.

Use the guide to shift swaps, open shifts and approvals when a change starts with an employee request or an urgent staffing gap.

When does a change become substantial?

Moving one shift may fall within the employer's right to organise work. A permanent move from fixed day shifts to evening, night and weekend work may be a substantial change to employment terms.

The same may apply to a permanent change in weekly hours or a change with a significant effect on pay. A substantial change generally requires the employee's individual notice period. The assessment depends on the contract, the extent of the change and the employee's previous work pattern.

FOA describes examples of changes to employment terms, while HK covers permanent changes to weekly hours. Seek specific advice before making a major permanent change.

Notice is only one part of the review

Correct notice does not by itself make a shift lawful. When adding or moving a shift, also check daily rest, weekly rest, breaks, weekly working time, night work and the separate rules for young workers.

See the 11-hour rest rule and the full overview of Danish working-time rules.

Three planning situations

A restaurant using the four-week rule

The schedule takes effect on Monday 05.10.2026. If the four-week rule applies, employees must receive it by Monday 07.09.2026. If an event moves after publication, the manager must then check the notice required for changes. Operational inconvenience does not automatically qualify as a compelling reason.

A café without a collective agreement

The contracts state that the schedule is published three weeks in advance. The business should follow that agreement and check the contract before moving a published shift. General legislation does not automatically replace the agreed period with four weeks.

An urgent extra shift

An employee with an unpredictable work pattern has a stated minimum notice of 72 hours. The business may offer a shift with 24 hours' notice, but the employee can generally decline without adverse consequences.

A repeatable notice workflow

1. Collect notice periods from collective agreements, contracts and local agreements.
2. Plan backwards from the date the schedule takes effect.
3. Set an internal deadline for holiday requests and availability changes.
4. Review coverage and working-time rules before publication.
5. Publish one version that the whole team can find.
6. Send changes directly to affected employees.
7. Retain what changed, when and by whom.

Scheduling software can keep the current plan, messages and change history together. It can also flag conflicts based on the business's setup. The business must still ensure that the setup reflects the applicable collective agreement, contract and legislation.

Explore employee scheduling in Monoplan and the employee app.

Frequently asked questions

Does the four-week rule apply to every restaurant and café?

No. It applies when the workplace and employee are covered by the relevant collective agreement or have agreed an equivalent notice period.

Can an employee refuse a shift offered at short notice?

For wholly or mostly unpredictable work, an employee can generally refuse when the shift falls outside the stated reference periods or does not meet the stated minimum notice. In other cases, check the collective agreement, contract and specific arrangement.

Is updating the scheduling system enough?

The affected employee needs clear notice through the communication method agreed by the business. Retain the time and content of the change as well.

Sources

• Danish Act on Employment Certificates and Certain Working Conditions
• Legislative notes on unpredictable work
• 3F: Working time in hotels and restaurants
• HORESTA: OK25
• FOA: Changes to employment terms
• HK: Changes to employment terms
• Danish Working Environment Authority: Working time and rest

Sources last professionally reviewed on 19.09.2026.