Entrepreneurs must be better insured against unemployment

(Keystone-ATS) Entrepreneurs who pay contributions to unemployment insurance must be better insured against this risk. The National adopted on Thursday, by 121 votes to 65, a commission project aimed at accelerating their access to these benefits, under certain conditions.

Currently, people occupying a position comparable to that of an employer, for example as a partner or financial participant, as well as spouses who work in the company, are required to contribute to unemployment insurance. But to receive compensation, they must definitively give up their position.

However, there are cases where it is not easy to free oneself from this function quickly, for example when a bankruptcy is in progress or in the event of a divorce, explained Andri Silberschmidt (PLR/ZH) for the committee .

The project aims to allow them faster and simpler access to unemployment benefits. They will be subject to a 20-day waiting period and will receive 70% of the insured gain.

Conditions to be met

Safeguards have been integrated to reduce the risk of abuse, underlined Léonore Porchet (Vert-es/VD), also for the commission. To receive compensation, these people must in particular not be a member of the board of directors and have worked in the company for at least two years.

An exception to this period is provided for people who exercise professions in which changes of place or commitments of limited duration are usual, for example in the field of culture.

If people return to the company during the framework period or during the following three years, they will have to repay the compensation received. An exception is also provided for cultural circles.

The UDC would have liked to tighten these conditions, for example by excluding people who hold a direct or indirect financial participation greater than 5%, by increasing the waiting period to 120 days and by limiting the amount received to 50% of the insured gain. . The left would have wanted profits from financial participation to be deducted from unemployment benefits.

Exemption from contribution

Instead of facilitating access to unemployment benefits for people occupying a position comparable to that of an employer, the UDC and the Center wanted on the contrary to exempt these people from the obligation to contribute to unemployment insurance . They would therefore no longer be entitled to any benefits, argued Thomas Aeschi (UDC/ZG).

The Federal Council was opposed to the project. The current regulations constitute a good compromise between the position of these people and the risk of abuse, indicated the Minister of the Economy Guy Parmelin. Furthermore, the objective of unemployment insurance is not to cover entrepreneurial risks.

This project follows a parliamentary initiative by Andri Silberschmidt. The file goes to the Council of States.