A 4-day work week on 100% pay has become a reality at some small businesses in Switzerland, reports RTS. Andreas Ott, the owner of a small graphic design studio in the canton of Aargau told the SonntagsZeitung that his clients reported no issues with staff taking Fridays off. Ott introduced the concept several years ago […]
Covid: new cases 18% higher this week in Switzerland but severe cases down
This week, 194,679 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Switzerland, up 18% from the 164,333 cases reported a week earlier. Given the high contagiousness of Omicron, which now dominates (89%) in Switzerland, the real number of cases could be significantly higher. This week, 468 people were reported hospitalised with Covid-19 in Switzerland, slightly above the level reported the […]
Higher tax deductions for parents in Switzerland starting in 2023
This week, Switzerland’s government set a date for the introduction of more generous tax deductions for childcare. From 1 January 2023, parents will be able to deduct up to CHF 25,000 per child in childcare costs from their annual taxable income, reported RTS. Currently, the maximum is CHF 10,100 per child. The change is the […]
Vote against Swiss “Netflix tax” passes signature hurdle
In October 2021, Switzerland’s government created a law requiring online streaming services to pay money into a Swiss cinema fund. Under the law, from 2024, streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ will need to pay a levy equivalent to 4% of their Swiss turnover into the fund, which would be spent on producing Swiss […]
Swiss train punctuality slips in 2021 with big regional differences
In 2021, 91.9% of Swiss passenger trains were on time, down 0.7 percentage points from 92.6% in 2020, with significant regional differences. Across eastern German-speaking Switzerland 94.7% of trains were on time in 2021, compared to 88.0% in western French-speaking Switzerland. In southern, Italian-speaking Switzerland, 90.7% were on time and in central Switzerland the rate […]
Swiss retailers still selling toxic plates despite ban
Plates made from a mix of plastic and bamboo were declared toxic by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) on 30 June 2021 and their sale has been banned since. However, the offending plates, some aimed at babies and children, have been found for sale at retailers in Switzerland, according to the French-speaking […]
Covid: quarantine and work from home extended and entry tests dropped in Switzerland
On 19 January 2022, Switzerland’s government announced an extension of its Covid-19 measures, citing strain on hospitals. The requirement to work from home will stay in place until the end of February, as well as the rules on contact quarantine, said the Federal Council. The ‘2G’ and ‘2G plus’ rule for certain indoor settings, the […]
US diplomats in Geneva report suffering from Havana syndrome
Several US diplomats in Geneva appear to be victims of the Havana syndrome, according to RTS. The mysterious syndrome was first reported in Havana in Cuba in 2016 by US and Canadian embassy staff, but may have been occurring earlier. The symptoms include ear pain and ringing, nausea, disorientation, dizziness and cognitive difficulties. Brain scans […]
1 in 7 new cars in Switzerland were electric and nearly half were 4x4s in 2021
Recent data on new car sales in Switzerland in 2021 show that 31,823 new electric cars were registered in 2021. The data also show that 48% of new registrations were 4x4s. Electric cars made up 13% of the 238,481 new vehicles registered in Switzerland in 2021. Diesel (42%), petrol (14%) and hybrid (31%) cars made […]
Covid: 164,000 new cases this week in Switzerland
This week, 164,333 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Switzerland, up 16% from the 142,085 cases reported a week earlier. Given the high contagiousness of the Omicron variant, which now dominates (84%) in Switzerland, and how mild the symptoms often are, the real number of cases could be significantly higher. This week, 418 people were hospitalised with […]
