Tag Archives: Editor’s Choice

In the second quarter of 2019, the percentage of Switzerland’s population working rose by 1.1% and the percentage unemployed fell to 4.2%, based on the higher International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) measure. © Pressahotkey | Dreamstime.comIn the second quarter of 2019, 5.1 million people were working in Switzerland, 60% of the population. The number working rose 1.1% compared to the previous year, particularly among women (+2.0%). Employment rose 0.3% among men. The number of...

Swiss healthcare is expensive and most of it is paid directly by individuals (69%). Only the US has a more expensive healthcare system, according to Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office. © Ginasanders | Dreamstime.comThe political pressure on Switzerland’s government to address the problem has been intensifying for some time. This week, the federal government announced nine measures to cut healthcare costs that it expects could save hundreds of millions of francs annually. The...

Swiss healthcare is typically ranked the world’s second most expensive, as a percentage of GDP, after the US. © Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime.comIn Switzerland, compulsory health insurance premiums cover 37% of healthcare costs. Much of the rest is covered by tax payers and non-reimbursable out-of-pocket payments by individuals. As part of a plan to reduce costs, this week, the health insurer Groupe Mutuel, launched a new lower cost plan which requires its clients to go to the...

In a recent comparison of taxi fares across Europe, Geneva and Zurich were the most expensive. © Corepics Vof | Dreamstime.com In the study, which focused on the total cost of a taxi journey from the airport to the centre of town, Geneva (€36 – CHF40) and Zurich (€63 – CHF70) fared better than Milan (€105) and London (€104), which had the highest total journey costs. However, this is only because Zurich and Geneva airports are close to the city centre. The...

In a recent comparison of taxi fares across Europe, Geneva and Zurich were the most expensive. ©  Corepics Vof | Dreamstime.comIn the study, which focused on the total cost of a taxi journey from the airport to the centre of town, Geneva (€36 – CHF40) and Zurich (€63 – CHF70) fared better than Milan (€105) and London (€104), which had the highest total journey costs. However, this is only because Zurich and Geneva airports are close to the city centre. The per-kilometre taxi costs in...

Criticism of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) by Swiss unions intensified in 2007 after the Court ruled against workers in the Laval case in Sweden. © Paulgrecaud | Dreamstime.comLatvian workers were being paid less than the minimum wage on a construction site in Sweden. In protest, local workers blockaded the site. However, the CJEU ruled against the blockade on the grounds that it prevented the free movement of services. Swiss unions viewed the ruling as a failure...

Switzerland’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has accused three former officials of the German Football Association (DFB) and one from FIFA of fraud and has filed an indictment against them. © Brillianceeye | Dreamstime.comHorst Rudolf Schmidt, Theo Zwanziger and Wolfgang Niersbach, from the DFB, and Urs Linsi, a former Swiss FIFA official are all under the spotlight.  The four are accused of fraudulently misleading members of a supervisory body of the DFB organising committee for...

Until recently, Swiss case law placed the responsibility for drug addiction on the drug user. © Tomas Nevesely | Dreamstime.comDrug addicts only qualified for disability welfare if their addiction was connected with an illness or accident. A recent ruling on a case by the Federal Tribunal, Switzerland’s highest court, changes this.  The case involved a man in Zurich dependent on opioids and benzodiazepines, a type of drug sometimes used to alleviate the symptoms of alcohol...

Every year Luzern receives around 9.4 million visitors, or roughly 25,000 a day, according to a university study. © Marekusz | Dreamstime.comTourism is putting a strain on the city, bringing traffic to a standstill and creating crowds in public spaces. In addition, many visitors arrive on buses, tour the town, and leave without spending a night, which generates little for the economy and little to invest in additional infrastructure. According to the broadcaster RTS, the...

Figures on unfilled apprenticeship places show the difficulty of matching supply and demand in the labour market. © Industryviews | Dreamstime.comThis year there were 12,000 unfilled apprenticeship positions in Switzerland. Switzerland’s apprenticeship model, which helps match workers’ skills with employer demand, is one driver of Switzerland’s low unemployment (4.9%) – 2018 ILO basis. Switzerland has highest underemployment in Europe (Le News) However, it seems to be...