Welfare funds to be given more room for maneuver
Published: Thursday, Mar 7th 2024, 11:30
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The National Council wants to give company welfare funds more room for maneuver. Until now, these foundations have mainly provided benefits in the event of old age, death and disability. In future, they should also be able to explicitly help employees in emergencies, for example in the event of illness or unemployment.
The National Council also wants these funds to be able to support work-life balance, health promotion and prevention in future. They should also be allowed to contribute to the financing of other staff welfare facilities.
On Thursday, the Council unanimously adopted a corresponding bill, which is based on a parliamentary initiative by National Councillor Daniela Schneeberger (FDP/BL). It was drafted by the National Council's Social Security and Health Committee (SGK-N). The draft amendment to the Civil Code will now go to the Council of States.
Clarification necessary
According to parliamentary documents, the supervisory and tax authorities already recognize that these funds provide benefits that do not fall under the narrow definition of occupational benefits. This is the case, for example, for people who find themselves in an emergency situation due to illness.
However, there was a need for precision in this regard, according to the National Council. And if the funds were given a broader scope, the burden on Swiss pension funds would be eased.
The Federal Council partially supports the legislative project. It is right to extend the scope of action and discretion of the boards of trustees, it wrote. However, the planned expansion of benefits, for example for health promotion, "goes well beyond the definition of occupational pension provision." He does not support these extensions.
However, the National Council clearly rejected the Federal Council's proposal to limit the number of permissible benefits. A motion by the Left-Greens to restrict these newly permissible benefits thanks to a formulation in the law also failed.
Sharp drop in the number of funds
The number of welfare funds in Switzerland has fallen sharply. In 1992 there were still more than 8,000; in 2022 there were only 1,310. The SGK-N cites the multiplication of legal requirements, the increasing administrative burden and the legislator's lack of understanding for the special nature of these funds as possible reasons.
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