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Boosting businesses to funding freelancers: Here is how Switzerland is tackling its coronavirus-affected economy

Switzerland on Friday announced a range of measures targeted at boosting its flagging economy, which has taken a hit due to the coronavirus. Here’s what you need to know.

Boosting businesses to funding freelancers: Here is how Switzerland is tackling its coronavirus-affected economy
Photo: VALENTIN FLAURAUD / AFP

On Friday afternoon, the Swiss government announced a range of measures targeted at helping the Swiss economy as well as curbing the spread of the virus. 

The total economic support provided by the Swiss government now totals CHF 40 billion, with Friday’s announcement of 32 billion francs adding to the existing CHF8 million pledge. 

READ: Switzerland bans gatherings of more than five people but curfew avoided

UPDATE: What you need to know about the coronavirus crisis in Switzerland

The goal of the economic measures are to ensure that the Swiss economy runs at at least 80 percent of capacity. 

Besides the economic announcements, the government also banned gatherings of more than five people under punishment of a CHF100 fine, as well as allowed grocery deliveries to take place on Sundays. 

Liquidity for businesses

A total of 20 billion francs has been placed on the table to help stressed businesses who face troubles obtaining transitional bank loans. 

Companies will be able to contact their banks from Monday, March 23rd onwards, in order to ask for a credit of up to 500,000 francs. In this case, the government will underwrite the loans and no review is required from the bank. 

For loans of more than 500,000 francs, the credit is guaranteed 15 percent by the bank and 85 percent by the Swiss government. 

Compensation is available for independently managed publicly accessible companies like bars and restaurants, as well as self-employed people like freelance artists who have to cancel events and performances as a result of the virus. 

The Finance Minister assured potential loanees that the interest will be “very low”. 

Companies are also able to defer payment of social insurance contributions without interest, as can the self-employed. 

Protections for parents and those placed in quarantine

Parents who need to stay home from work in order to care for their children who aren’t able to attend school will be eligible for compensation under the new measures. 

Similarly, anyone who has been forced to quarantine by a doctor and cannot complete their work will also be able to apply for compensation. 

Protection for tourism

The tourism sector will be supported by a loan fund of CHF530 million which has been made available to the industry through the cantons. 

The Swiss government believes that the fund can more accurately target the tourism industry when made available at a cantonal level. 

A Korean tourist in the Swiss resort of Zermatt. Photo: VALENTIN FLAURAUD / AFP

Employees and temporary workers protected

Temporary workers including apprentices will now be entitled to compensation for loss of work, matching existing protections for fixed-term workers. 

The government also removed the existing requirement that employees need to use up their overtime hours before they can apply for unemployment. 

Protection for freelancers and self-employed persons

The government also announced that freelancers and the self-employed would be compensated for work lost due to the spread of the virus. 

They will be paid 80 percent of their daily salary to a maximum of CHF196 per day. 

Renters given leeway – but no concrete measures yet

The announcement did not provide any specific aid for tenants, although the Federal Council indicated that more steps are likely to be taken to protect renters in the future. 

Until then, the government has encouraged tenants to enter into dialogue with their landlords to find common ground on the matter. 

Protection for culture and sport

Professional sports clubs will be eligible to receive a share of CHF50 million, while sporting organisations will also be eligible for a share of CHF50 million if they are in danger of going out of business. 

The Swiss cultural sector – which is defined as including performing arts, design, film, visual art, literature, music and museums – will be supported by CHF280 in emergency aid. 

Taxation

Default interest for the late payment of taxes, customs duties and incentive taxes will be waived until the end of 2020. 

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Hi,
 
The Local's mission is to give our readers all the information they need about what's happening in Switzerland. We rely on paying members to do that, but we have chosen not to put any of our articles about the coronavirus behind our hard paywall, to help keep all of our readers informed. We believe it is the right thing to do at this time.
 
This means that new or occasional readers can read articles for free. On urgent need-to-know articles and official advice about coronavirus, we are also dropping the paywall completely. 
 
We have received many comments from supportive readers asking how can they contribute. The best way is simply to sign up as a member. You can do that in just a few moments by clicking HERE.
 
We hope our paying members understand why we have chosen to make these articles about the coronavirus free for everyone, but if you have any questions, please let me know.
 
As for the coronavirus, you can read all our articles here.
 
Kind regards,
 
Dan,
 
Editor, The Local Switzerland

 

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HEALTH

The essential Swiss websites you need to use for health matters

If you just moved to Switzerland (or even if you have lived here for a while), your learning curve about health-related matters in the country may be steep. These sites will help you find the information you need.

The essential Swiss websites you need to use for health matters

Staying healthy is probably one of your top priorities, but doing so in a foreign country is not easy.

That is why having some reliable resources that you can check out and follow will be helpful.

First: The Local

No, we are not doctors, but we have published a number of factual articles over the years about many aspects of healthcare in Switzerland that our readers find helpful.

You can find a compilation of these health-related stories here

Federal Office of Public Health 

Obviously, when it comes to matters of health, the Health Ministry has lots of information that will be relevant to you at one time or another.

Aside from matters of health policy (which is important for all residents of Switzerland), the site also has a regularly updated Infectious Diseases Dashboard to let you know what communicable illnesses are currently circulating in Switzerland — and how to avoid them.

It also provides age-specific health information and recommendations — for instance, for children and teenagers, as well as for the elderly.

Hospital websites

Individual hospitals in your area are good sources of information as well, and many of them are in English.

You can find there general health information, care and treatment options, online emergency room signup, new medical technologies being used, and other patient resources:

Geneva University Hospitals (HUG)

Vaud University Hospital (CHUV)

Zurich University Hospital

Basel University Hospital 

If you live in an area without a university medical centre, your local hospital is also a valuable source of health-related information.

Appointment booking platform

This website is especially useful for people who don’t yet have a doctor in Switzerland but need to set an appointment with one. 

It gives you an option of choosing a specialty and location, and then displays doctor’s names and addresses, background information about them, and which time slots they have available.

You can easily set up an appointment this way.

Your health insurer’s website

This may not be an intuitive choice for impartial information about healthcare but you may be surprised.

For instance, Sanitas insurance site has information about emergency care decisions, and how to void unnecessary medical treatments.

CSS has health information geared specifically to men and women.

Helsana talks about ways to combat stress and sleep problems.

These are just a few examples on what valuable tips you can find on your insurer’s website.

Websites devoted to specific medical conditions

If you seek information about a specific illness — such as treatment options in Switzerland — there are plenty of online resources for that as well.

For instance:

Heart and cardiovascular 

Diabetes 

Osteoporosis 

Mental illness 

General pain 

Other diseases 

Last but not least, while not related to health, these websites will also provide useful information for international residents:

The Swiss websites that can help you save money
 
The most useful website resources to help you get Swiss citizenship 
 
 

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