Support the Family Time Initiative now!
When it comes to maternity and paternity leave, Switzerland performs poorly in an OECD comparison — only Israel, Mexico and the USA perform worse. We want to change this with the Family Time Initiative. New parents should receive 18 weeks of parental leave each. Sign the petition now and help bring Switzerland into the 21st century when it comes to family time!
Support the Family Time Initiative now!
Switzerland brings up the rear
Switzerland brings up the rear
Following the birth of a child, a mother is entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave, while a father has been entitled to two weeks since 2021. Compared to other OECD countries and comparable European countries, Switzerland's regulations are poor.
In the EU, each parent is entitled to at least two months, while the OECD standard is 25 weeks for the mother and 13 weeks for the other parent. A further 27 weeks can be divided between the parents as they wish. Only Israel, Mexico and the USA have worse regulations. Due to its low level of parental leave entitlements and the unequal division of family responsibilities between fathers and mothers, Switzerland has already been criticised several times by the UN Human Rights Council.
The initiative calls for 18 weeks of family time per parent
The initiative calls for 18 weeks of family time per parent
The initiative calls for equal family leave of 18 weeks per parent. This time should not be transferable between parents, and no more than a quarter of the time should be taken at any one time. This means that both parents could stay at home for a maximum of 4.5 weeks at a time, taking it in turns for the remaining weeks. Existing rights, such as maternity protection, the eight-week ban on work for mothers, and maternity leave, remain guaranteed.
At least 80% of the salary
At least 80% of the salary
Each parent is entitled to the same level of compensation as for military or civilian service, i.e. 80%. For parents on low incomes, 100% of lost earnings should be covered.
This will be financed via a new parental insurance scheme, which will be compulsory for certain sections of the population, or via an increase in the income compensation scheme (EO) from 0.5% to 0.75%.
Our position on this
Our position on this
At Volt, we are calling for the introduction of parental leave throughout Europe. The Family Time Initiative in Switzerland covers this goal very well. Various studies show that parental leave brings significant benefits to children, parents, and society as a whole. We are therefore very happy to support this project.
Text of the initiative
This is a machine translation of the text, because the Federal Chancellery does not officially translate these texts to English.
Federal popular initiative ‘Strong society and economy thanks to parental leave (family leave initiative)’
Art. 41 para. 2
2 The Confederation and the cantons shall endeavour to ensure that every person is protected against the economic consequences of old age, invalidity, illness, accident, unemployment, maternity, parenthood, orphanhood and widowhood.
Art. 110a Parental leave
1 The Confederation shall provide appropriate and compensated parental leave.
2 It shall observe the following principles:
a. Parental leave serves the best interests of the child and the promotion of effective gender equality, in particular by enabling both parents to work.
b. Both parents are entitled to the same amount of parental leave; it is not transferable and is generally taken alternately; no more than one quarter may be taken at the same time, although the law may provide for exceptions, in particular for health reasons; the duration of parental leave per parent may not be shorter than the duration of the payment of maternity compensation under the old law.
c. The minimum amount and financing of the compensation shall be based on the principles of compensation for military or civilian service personnel; the compensation shall gradually increase to 100 per cent for the lowest salaries.
d. Taking parental leave must not lead to disadvantages under labour or personnel law.
Art. 116 Sachüberschrif, para. 3 first sentence and para. 4 Family allowances and parental insurance
3 To compensate for parental leave in accordance with Article 110a, [the Confederation] shall set up a parental insurance scheme. ...
4 The Confederation may declare membership of a family compensation fund and parental insurance to be compulsory in general or for individual population groups and make its benefits dependent on appropriate payments by the cantons.
Art. 197 para. 172 17 Transitional provisions on Art. 41 para. 2 (parental leave), 110a (parental leave) and 116 para. 3 first sentence and 4 (parental insurance)
1 The Federal Assembly shall enact the implementing provisions for Articles 41 paragraph 2, 110a and 116 paragraphs 3 first sentence and 4 no later than five years after their adoption by the People and the Cantons. If the implementing provisions do not enter into force within this period, the Federal Council shall issue the implementing provisions in the form of an ordinance and bring them into force on this date. The ordinance shall apply until the implementing provisions issued by the Federal Assembly enter into force.
2 For the first 10 years after the implementing provisions come into force, the parental leave per parent shall be 18 weeks.
3 The current competence of the Confederation in the area of maternity compensation and compensation for the other parent shall remain in force until the regulations on parental leave and parental insurance enter into force.