If you work for an employer in Switzerland, i.e. draw a wage, then you are insured against unemployment. The insurance contribution is deducted directly from your wage and will be shown on your payslip. Unemployment insurance will pay the insured person compensation in the event of unemployment, short-time working, loss of work as a result of bad weather and in the event of the employer’s inability to pay. As a rule 70% of the insured person’s salary from which unemployment insurance contributions are deducted is paid out in compensation. 80% of the insured person’s salary is paid out if they have children, earn less than CHF 4,000 or have a disability. It is not possible for self-employed people to have unemployment insurance.

To obtain unemployment insurance you must first register with a regional employment agency (Regionales Arbeitsvermittlungszentrum – RAV). You should do this as soon as you find out that you will be made redundant, even before you become unemployed. If you are not yet registered with an unemployment insurance fund you can do this there.