
The Confederation
The confederation sets the general framework and minimum benefits to be complied with.
How can I have a positive experience both during pregnancy and after childbirth? Our tips for a successful experience of motherhood in Switzerland.
In Switzerland, an expectant mother can receive help from:
The confederation sets the general framework and minimum benefits to be complied with.
Your canton may provide for additional allowances to those paid by the Confederation.
Your employer may offer more generous coverage than the minimum required by law.
Whether you are an employee, self-employed, unemployed or receiving a loss-of-earnings allowance at the time of birth, you are entitled to maternity leave of at least 14 weeks (16 weeks for Geneva residents).
If you return to work earlier, your entitlement to maternity benefits stops immediately. However, you are prohibited from working during the eight weeks following childbirth (Art. 35 (a) (3) Federal Law on Employment in Trade and Industry).
During maternity leave, you receive 80% of the average income earned before childbirth in the form of a maternity allowance capped at CHF 196 per day. More generous benefits may be stipulated under the cantonal provisions of your place of residence or under your company's staff regulations.
As maternity benefits are considered a salary, contributions to the LPP (Federal Law on Occupational Benefits), AVS (old age and survivor’s insurance), AI and APG (disability and loss of earnings capacity) are deducted. During this period you benefit from accident insurance and occupational pension insurance coverage.
Your employer is prohibited from terminating your employment contract during your pregnancy as well as during the 16 weeks following childbirth. This right comes into effect from the first day of pregnancy if you are on a permanent employment contract and after the end of the trial period. In other cases, e.g. during the trial period or a fixed-term contract that is about to expire, you do not benefit from this protection.
Swiss law makes provisions for women only. It is worth having a look at your employer's staff regulations to see if there are any special provisions applicable to men. Some companies offer their employees benefits in the form of paternity leave and/or "childbirth" bonuses.
To find out more about all applicable legal provision, we recommend checking the Confederation’s official document, which you can find on the SECO website www.seco.admin.ch entitled "Pregnancy and Motherhood - Employee protection".
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