Handbook for Investors. Business location in Switzerland.

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8.6.5 Compensation for loss of income and maternity benefits The Ordinance on Compensation for Loss of Income compensates people who have lost part of their income due to military service or civil defense. Since 2005, this ordinance has also covered loss of income during pregnancy (maternity benefits). The insurance is mandatory, and everyone who makes OASI contributions must pay it (half is paid by the employer and half by the employee). Entitlement to a salary during pregnancy is no longer dependent on the length of time worked at a company. Employed pregnant women receive 80 % of their average salary before delivery, up to a maximum of CHF 196 per day, for 14 weeks. It is not possible to dismiss women while they are pregnant or for 16 weeks after delivery. Mothers may not work for up to eight weeks after delivery. Federal Social Insurance Office www.bsv.admin.ch Link: Topics/income compensations Languages: German, English, French, Italian Official SECO homepage, work www.treffpunkt-arbeit.ch Languages: German, English, French, Italian 8.6.7 Occupational pension scheme Occupational pension funds serve to ensure that the employee’s accustomed standard of living can be maintained. They are based on the Federal Act on Occupational Pensions, which since 1985 has provided mandatory insurance for all employed persons from the age of 18 (against risks) and from the age of 25 (savings plan). A person must currently earn a minimum of CHF 20,520 to participate. The maximum mandatorily insured salary is CHF 82,080. The employer contributes at least as high a premium as the employee. Some employers choose to pay more. Premiums can vary between 7 % and 18 % of income, based on age and sex (the older the person, the higher the premium). Pension funds are foundations, cooperatives or public law institutions that are overseen by cantonal and federal supervisory authorities. Smaller companies often join a collective pension foundation or association. 8.6.6 Unemployment insurance (UI) Unemployment insurance continues to pay partial salary upon unemployment for a limited amount of time and promotes the reentry of the unemployed person into the job market. It is mandatory for employees. All workers who are not self-employed must make contributions. Unemployment insurance is financed equally by the employer and the employees (each pays 1 %). It is not possible for self-employed persons to insure themselves against unemployment, even voluntarily. In order to receive unemployment benefits, employees must normally be able to demonstrate payment of at least 12 monthly contributions within the last two years, so they must have worked. Another requirement is that the person must be in a position to take up work. Regular contributions are mandatory. Compensation generally amounts to 70 % of the salary subject to OASI (average of the last six contribution months prior to unemployment), or 80 % where there are children requiring support, in case of disability or for those with an income of less than CHF 3,797. The maximum insured salary is CHF 10,500 a month. As a rule, a maximum of 400 days’ allowances may be drawn within a two-year period. Federal Social Insurance Office www.bsv.admin.ch Link: Topics/Occupational Benefit Plan Languages: German, English, French, Italian 8.6.8 Family allowances Family allowances go some way towards meeting the costs of bringing up children. They include child and education allowances, as well as birth and adoption allowances mandated by the individual cantons. All cantons require as a minimum the following allowances per child per month: • a child allowance of CHF 200 for children up to the age of 16 • an education allowance of CHF 250 for children between the ages of 16 and 25 In many cantons the amount is higher. All employees and persons not gainfully employed with a modest income are entitled to these allowances, and in some cantons self-employed people are too. There are special rules for farmers. These benefits are financed almost exclusively by the employer. 78 Handbook for Investors 2010
Calculation of family allowances by canton www.kinderzulagen-rechner.ch Languages: German, French 8.7 Recruitment. There are many options for recruiting external candidates: • Ads in newspapers or specialist journals • Online ads • University notice boards • External advisors • Headhunters • Regional employment centers • Third parties, etc. Each employer’s choice depends on its needs and budget. Regional employment centers www.treffpunkt-arbeit.ch Languages: German, English, French, Italian 8.7.1 Public employment service The regional employment centers (RECs) are public service providers that specialize in advising and placing jobseekers. The 130 or so RECs personally advise employers in their recruitment through a personnel consultant. There are many well-qualified job seekers registered with RECs who are immediately available for permanent or temporary positions. On request, RECs can screen applicants by the employer’s criteria, making the selection process easier. RECs can also advertise open positions in the internal job market on the network's website and/or on Teletext. The website is the largest job market in Switzerland, and the key advantage is that all REC services are free. 8.7.2 Employment agencies It may be worth using an employment agency to find a highly qualified specialist or manager. These agencies do most of the legwork: creating recruitment ads, choosing the media and selecting candidates. It also makes sense to work with an employment agency if the name of the company is to be kept confidential due to industry or internal reasons. However, this method is expensive, as it may cost one or more months’ salary for the position to be filled. 8.7.3 Headhunters Headhunters, or executive search consultants, act as a bridge between a company’s need for highly qualified specialists and managers and the desire of such individuals to find challenging and attractive positions. They specialize in recruiting through direct contacts and work on a mandate basis. They range from companies specialized in certain industries to large international firms with household names and boutique companies specially suited to generalist tasks, complex jobs or unconventional solutions. Hiring a headhunter is always beneficial if the usual paths of internal recruitment or ads on websites and in newspapers fail to produce results. 8.7.4 Staffing/temporary employment agencies The hiring of staff for a limited amount of time through temporary employment agencies is useful if there is a temporary surge of orders or staff must be replaced at short notice. An hourly wage is agreed between the agency and the client, which is usually 1.4 to 2 times the normal hourly rate. However, only the hours worked must be paid, and all ancillary costs are included. The agency remunerates temporary staff as their employer and is responsible for all social deductions and insurance. The same labor law protections apply as with «traditional» forms of employment. Temporary employment agencies require a cantonal license in order to operate. They are also required to set aside a significant deposit to cover the claims of their employees. A federal license and a higher deposit are required to operate abroad. Handbook for Investors 2010 79
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Handbook for Investors. Business lo
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Welcome. Dear Reader, By choosing t
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Table of contents. Advantages offer
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10.3.4 Cross-border commuters .....
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9. Excellent educational institutio
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1.2 Climate. Switzerland’s climat
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Fig. 9: Industry structure, percent
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Dachorganisation Informatik- und Te
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Fig. 72: Examples of cantonal incen
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R&D project grants are available in
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20 TechnoArk, Sierre www.technoark.
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Switzerland. Trade & Investment Pro
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15.2 Table of figures. Fig. 1: Swit
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Countries of Europe. Handbook for I
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Language regions. Handbook for Inve
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