Workplace Switzerland

Voters have final say in five nationwide polls

This content was published on Nov 29, 2008 Also on the agenda are plans aimed at easing early retirement, tougher legal provisions against paedophiles and moves to curb the powers of environmental organisations. Of the five issues at stake only the vote on enshrining the government’s four-pillar drugs policy has a realistic chance of winning the necessary majority, pollsters say. The official drugs…

Authorities combat disability insurance abuse

This content was published on Nov 28, 2008 On Friday, the office announced it was launching a pilot project to monitor claimants living in Kosovo and Thailand in order to uncover cases of fraud. A revision of Swiss laws, which came into force on January 1, 2008, allows the Swiss authorities to investigate people suspected of cheating the system. The company SGS has…

Swiss voters ponder choices

This content was published on Nov 19, 2008 A poll conducted by the gfs.berne polling and research institute on behalf of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, swissinfo’s parent company, and published on Wednesday shows that voters may well play safe. Proposals to change the existing state of affairs as well as moves to introduce new laws both seem doomed to fail when they come…

Family incentives linked to birth rate

This content was published on Nov 16, 2008 Giuliano Bonoli, of the Institute of Advanced Studies in Public Administration in Lausanne, reviewed changes in the birth rate in different cantons between 1980 to 2000 in his study, published in the Journal of European Social Policy. The cantons of Geneva, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Basel City and Zurich managed to maintain the number of births at…

Unemployment figures rise

This content was published on Nov 7, 2008 The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) said on Friday that the number of registered unemployed increased by nearly 4,500 people to more than 100,000. The head of the labour division of Seco, Serge Gaillard, said earlier this week that the figure could rise by 40,000 by the end of 2009, representing an unemployment level…

Road safety reforms spark concern

This content was published on Nov 6, 2008 The plans, announced on Wednesday and sent out for consultation to organisations concerned, include mandatory helmets for cyclists, stricter drink-driving standards and extra training and tests for drivers. Transport Minister Moritz Leuenberger said the aim was to reduce the number of accidents that result in death and serious injury. Some road safety organisations have backed…

Ethicist puts the case for basic income

This content was published on Sep 14, 2008 A switch from the current system that provides welfare aid to the needy would be a radical change for Switzerland – a step that most politicians are unwilling to make. The idea is nothing new: even liberal economists such as Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman have backed it. All of a country’s inhabitants would get…

Farmers reap higher incomes

This content was published on Sep 4, 2008 According to figures presented on Thursday by the Agroscope federal research centre, average earnings per worker increased by 14 per cent to about SFr3,300 ($2,983) a month or roughly SFr39,500 a year. Average annual income per farm rose by 16 per cent to SFr61,100. But the Swiss Farmers Association cautioned that good years can be…

Old people “are not just a burden”

This content was published on Aug 5, 2008 A study by the Swiss National Science Foundation also says the argument that people should have more children to balance out the generation gap is a “fallacy”, since children would not come free. The report, part of the national research programme on “Childhood, Youth and Intergenerational Relationships in a Changing Society”, acknowledged that as Swiss…

A journey into the salt mines of Bex

This content was published on Jul 21, 2008 A journey into the salt mines of Bex.

Workplace Switzerland

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

Workplace Switzerland

More

Voters have final say in five nationwide polls

More

Authorities combat disability insurance abuse

More

Swiss voters ponder choices

More

Family incentives linked to birth rate

More

Unemployment figures rise

More

Road safety reforms spark concern

More

Ethicist puts the case for basic income

More

Farmers reap higher incomes

More

Old people “are not just a burden”

More

A journey into the salt mines of Bex

Popular Stories

Most Discussed