The Friborg social assistance system is a safety net for the most vulnerable. It sometimes turns into a real obstacle course. At issue is an obligation to reimburse which, instead of promoting reintegration, risks compromising it. How can we encourage beneficiaries to return to work, to train, to improve their situation, if every franc earned is cut by the specter of reimbursement?
This sword of Damocles which hovers above their heads discourages any initiative. This situation keeps them dependent and costs the community dearly. Furthermore, this approach stigmatizes beneficiaries by considering them as profiteers, when for most social assistance is a question of survival. Rethinking the social assistance system will give beneficiaries who return to gainful employment a real chance to rebuild their lives, without hindering them by a debt which handicaps them from the start.
The bill currently under discussion maintains the reimbursement of aid received unduly or advances on disability insurance, for example. The reimbursement obligation for other beneficiaries only represents 10% of reimbursements. Removing this obligation for these people would make it possible to promote a value dear to Switzerland: living from one’s own work.
This week, the Grand Council has the opportunity to recall that solidarity should not be a trap, but a springboard. A solidarity that liberates and allows everyone to regain their dignity and autonomy.
