Tag Archives: Editor’s Choice

Volkswagen shocked the world when it was revealed it was cheating on emissions tests on a grand scale. Now some television makers may be gaming the energy efficiency ratings of some of their televisions, according to the Economist. In their efforts to compete and sell more, some brands decide to cut corners. Sometime transgressions are major, like at Volkswagen. However, much of the time they are minor, perfectly legal things, that just make you feel like you have been short changed. A recent...

A report published by the Swiss Federal Office of statistics, shows that only 4.3% of full-time1 workers earn CHF 3,000 or less per month2. The monthly figure is net of social security deductions, but includes one twelfth of the 13th bonus month typically paid in Switzerland. © Syda Productions | Dreamstime.com CHF 3,000 per month is CHF 36,000 a year, equivalent to US$ 36,250 or GBP 28,250, slightly above the annual UK median of GBP 28,0283. At the other end of the spectrum, only 5.6% of...

A report published by the Swiss Federal Office of statistics, shows that only 4.3% of full-time1 workers earn CHF 3,000 or less per month2. The monthly figure is net of social security deductions, but includes one twelfth of the 13th bonus month typically paid in Switzerland. © Syda Productions | Dreamstime.com CHF 3,000 per month is CHF 36,000 a year, equivalent to US$ 36,250 or GBP 28,250, slightly above the annual UK median of GBP 28,0283. At the other end of the spectrum, only 5.6% of...

© Gvictoria – Dreamstime.com - Click to enlarge Tribune de Genève. Last October, Geneva state councillor Mauro Poggia, had his department send out close to 91,000 letters to those receiving social benefits, asking them to contact the authorities if they had failed to declare any assets or income. Laurent Paoliello, a spokesperson from the DEAS, said they received 3,200 letters back. So far, we haven’t been through all...

Tribune de Genève. Last October, Geneva state councillor Mauro Poggia, had his department send out close to 91,000 letters to those receiving social benefits, asking them to contact the authorities if they had failed to declare any assets or income. Laurent Paoliello, a spokesperson from the DEAS, said they received 3,200 letters back. So far, we haven’t been through all the letters, he said. © Gvictoria – Dreamstime.com Another surprise was the 2,400 letters that were returned because the...

© Shannon Fagan | Dreamstime.com 20 Minutes. The Swiss States Council commission on public health endorsed a plan that could lead to higher health insurance premiums for those over 25. Swiss health insurance providers are required to pay into a communal pot to spread risk between insurance companies. The latest plan would reduce the amounts paid into this communal pot for every insured individual between 19 and 25 by...

20 Minutes. The Swiss States Council commission on public health endorsed a plan that could lead to higher health insurance premiums for those over 25. © Shannon Fagan | Dreamstime.com Swiss health insurance providers are required to pay into a communal pot to spread risk between insurance companies. The latest plan would reduce the amounts paid into this communal pot for every insured individual between 19 and 25 by 50%. The reduction would amount to CHF 92 per month. At the same time...

Across the ten years to 2008, Switzerland lost an average of 3 working days per 1,000 workers to strikes a year. This compares to 32 days in Austria, 33 days in France, and 55 days in Italy. Germany was close behind Switzerland with 4 days. The combined average over this period for these four neighbouring nations was 26 days. Switzerland’s 3 day average was one ninth. or 11% of this. © Ifeelstock | Dreamstime.com Further afield, an annual average of 22 days per 1,000 workers were lost to...

20 Minutes. After reaching a historical low in the third quarter of 2016, rates started rising in the fourth quarter. Rate increases hit mortgage tenors of five and ten years. © Ashumskiy | Dreamstime.com - Click to enlarge Compared to Q3, fixed mortgage rates on loans of ten years went up an average 0.2% to 1.62% according to price comparison website Comparis.ch. Five year fixed rate loans went up from 1.08% to 1.14%....

One of the topics at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos is: Squeezed and angry: how to fix the middle class crisis. As a precursor, the WEF published the 135 page  Inclusive Growth and Development Report 2017, which ranks Switzerland 3rd behind Norway and Luxembourg on inclusion, out of a group of 30 advanced economies. In addition, unlike Luxembourg, which is headed slowly backwards, both Switzerland and Norway are moving towards higher inclusion. © Marcelmooij | Dreamstime.com...