A government commission has come out in favour of paid paternity leave and has until 2 March 2019 to discuss a plan to offer new fathers two weeks of paid leave, according to RTS. The aim is to come up with a compromise between the 20 days in a referendum being put to voters at […]
Children as young as 11 held responsible for phone debts at Swisscom
Before the advent of mobile phones few children had phone contracts. Now, many young children have them. So what happens when payments are missed? If the contract is with Swisscom, then children as young as 11 could have debt collectors pursuing them, according to a case reported by RTS. According to RTS, a 22 year-old […]
Swiss children reach only 77% of their potential, according to World Bank
Yesterday, the World Bank released its Human Capital Index (HCI), a measure of how much human potential nations realise. Singapore takes the top spot. A child born there can expect to realize 88% of their potential. Switzerland comes 20th with 77%, just ahead of New Zealand. Among european nations, Switzerland is 14th, behind Italy (13th), […]
Survey reveals sexual behaviour of young Swiss
A survey of 7,142 Swiss, with an average age of 26, conducted by two university hospitals, was published this week. 95% of those surveyed had had at least one sexual partner, and 86% had had only heterosexual relationships. The average age for the first relationship was 17. 62% of men and 44% of women had […]
Steep rise in number of Catholic church sexual abuse reports in Switzerland
The Episcopal Conference of Switzerland (ECS) recently released figures that show a steep rise in the number of cases of sexual abuse reported in 2017 in the Catholic church in Switzerland. After a steep fall in reported cases from 115 in 2010 to 9 in 2012, the number rose to 65 in 2017. The ECS said […]
Certain cat foods sold in Switzerland might be causing cancer
Recent tests show there are high levels of toxins in some dry cat foods available in Switzerland, according to the Swiss romande consumer federation (FRC), a consumer advocacy group. The FRC’s investigation was aimed at finding out whether industrially produced cat food plays any role in the number of cats dying from diseases like cancer […]
Young Swiss far less worried tech will take their jobs than in other countries
A recent report shows only 34% of young Swiss are concerned the jobs they take will eventually disappear compared to 79% in the US, 74% in Brazil and 76% in Singapore. The main worry is the impact of rapid technological change. Fear levels are mirrored in the response to another question: what kind of job […]
Geneva – minimum school leaving age raised to 18
Starting this school year, young people in Geneva must stay in the education system until the day they turn 18. The old minimum leaving age was 15. The move is the result of a popular vote in October 2012 when 54.1% voted in favour of changes to the canton’s constitution containing the plan. The aim is […]
Swiss study recommends 38 weeks of parental leave
A referendum calling for four weeks of paternity leave is currently working it’s way through the system. This week, a government commission gave its verdict on the vote, recommending two weeks of paternity leave instead of the four set out in the referendum’s text. Their commission’s main concerns are centred on the impact on companies […]
Rising psychiatric admissions in Switzerland linked to Netflix series
Around 40 young people have been admitted to a psychiatric clinic in Zurich after watching the controversial Netflix television series 13 Reasons Why, according to RTS. The series, launched in March 2017, tells the fictional story of a 17 year old who leaves behind recordings explaining why she took her own life. Zurich hospital says […]
