Letter from the jobcentre: understand it and reply

Start by finding what the jobcentre wants you to do: attend a meeting, book one, send information or comment on a possible decision. Then note the date, time and reply channel. This guide explains the Danish terms and gives you finished Danish replies with their English meaning.

Which kind of jobcentre letter is it?

A jobsamtale at the jobcentre is usually a conversation about your route into work; a jobsamtale hos en arbejdsgiver is an interview with an employer. The sender, location and purpose tell you which one the letter means.

Separate the booking deadline from the meeting date

Suppose a letter says you must book by 6 October, and you choose an available appointment on 9 October at 10:00. You now have two tasks: finish the booking by the 6th and attend on the 9th. Merely deciding which slot you want does not complete the booking.

For a municipal booking deadline, look under Dine opgaver on Jobnet. If there are no available appointments or booking fails, contact the municipality before the deadline and describe what you tried. Save a screenshot of the error. Meetings with your a-kasse are booked through the unemployment fund. Jobnet explains booking and Min Plan here.

Also check attachments: the address, required documents or cancellation instructions may be in a separate file. For an online meeting, open the joining instructions in advance so you know whether you need a link or a phone number.

If illness prevents you from attending

Tell the sender what prevents attendance and follow its illness-reporting instructions. Include the appointment date and time, when you became ill and why you cannot participate. If you already missed the meeting, contact the sender now and explain both the absence and any delay in reporting it.

If you receive dagpenge: register sick on Jobnet on your first sick day, using Planer og aftaler → Meld syg/rask. The registration informs the municipality and a-kasse. If you need an earlier sickness date or cannot see the menu, contact the jobcentre, or your a-kasse while it handles your initial three-month contact period. See Jobnet’s sickness instructions. Complete the reporting step as well as dealing with the appointment.

If you receive kontanthjælp: use the sickness-reporting channel the municipality has specified. A course provider or employer may also need notice. For people covered by the rules for job-ready or education-ready claimants, the municipality assesses whether there was a reasonable reason for absence; sending a message does not itself settle that assessment. See the availability rules, sections 10 and 16.

Explain what the illness actually stopped you doing. In cases about illness-related absence from an employment activity, the municipality must investigate whether the person could participate; saying “ill” is not a substitute for that assessment. Ankestyrelsen’s decision 102-16 explains this distinction.

A complete Danish reply, with English meaning

In this fictional example, Anna receives dagpenge and the municipality handles her meetings. She becomes ill on 23 September, registers sick on Jobnet at 07:45 and sends this message through the Digital Post channel named in her invitation at 08:00, before her 10:00 appointment.

English meaning: Anna identifies today’s appointment, explains that fever and vomiting prevent her from attending or completing the conversation, and states when she registered sick. She asks for confirmation that the cancellation was received, instructions about a new appointment and any further information needed. She does not claim that the absence has already been approved.

Adapt the date, reporting time, name and explanation to what actually happened. If you can participate by phone but cannot travel, describe that difference and ask whether a phone meeting is possible. Keep any reply confirming the changed arrangement.

Being registered sick also raises a separate question about payment. If you are fully unemployed and entitled to dagpenge, your a-kasse continues paying during the first 14 days of sickness. Those conditions matter: the 14-day rule is not a promise that everyone receives payment. Borger.dk explains sickness benefits when unemployed.

If Min Plan records the wrong agreement

Min Plan brings together your employment goals, agreements and activities. Read new entries and keep track of the actions they describe. STAR describes what the plan contains.

You cannot edit your adviser’s meeting notes yourself. Ask the municipality or a-kasse to correct them. Be specific about the entry and what you believe was agreed. Until the difference is resolved, ask which instruction you should follow rather than silently substituting your own version.

Here is a second fictional example: Amir’s written appointment says 09:00, but the new Min Plan entry says 08:00.

English meaning: Amir points out the two different times for the same date, asks which is correct and requests a correction. He attaches both records. This is more useful than writing only “my plan is wrong”. If the appointment is close and no answer arrives, use the contact number in the invitation to resolve the time.

If the letter asks about an absence or a possible benefit cut

Look for partshøring. This is an opportunity to address information the authority may use in a decision. Read the exact dates and allegations: “You did not attend on 23 September” calls for a different answer from “We have not received your job-search record”. The Ombudsman explains when a hearing is required.

Build your response around three things:

1. What happened: give the event and date, correcting any incorrect statement.
2. What you did: say when and how you reported the problem or completed the task.
3. What supports it: attach the relevant message, receipt or other requested evidence, and say what each attachment shows.

For Anna, that means referring to the 23 September appointment, explaining her illness and attaching the 08:00 Digital Post receipt and available confirmation of her sickness registration. Those records establish what she reported and when; the authority still assesses the explanation.

If the heading is afgørelse, use the decision’s appeal instructions instead. Record the appeal deadline and recipient separately. For the wider difference between hearings, decisions and requests for documents, see our guide to letters from a Danish municipality.

Ask for the language help you need

If you cannot understand what is required or explain your situation adequately in Danish, say so before the meeting. Ask whether the conversation can be in English or whether an interpreter is needed. Public authorities must generally be able to understand and be understood by people in their cases; the need for interpretation or translation depends on the circumstances. See the Ombudsman’s guidance, section 2.5.

English meaning: “I have difficulty understanding Danish well enough for our conversation. Can we speak English, or can you arrange an interpreter? I want to understand the questions and explain my situation correctly.”

Frequently asked questions