BERN, SWITZERLAND – The current ceiling of CHF316,000 annual income has been lifted for the 1 percent solidarity contribution to unemployment funds in Switzerland. Both houses of parliament agreed, with the lower house voting Tuesday 25 September, to a motion that will require the country’s highest earners to chip in. The motion is supported by the Federal Council as well.
The change is expected to bring in CHF90 million a year, not enough to significantly reduce the unemployment fund CHF5.6 billion deficit. The solidarity fund has, until now, been for those who earned CH126-316,000.
The federal government oversees the system, but unemployment benefits are managed by the cantons (background, French).
