Working mothers have a statutory right to 14 weeks’ paid maternity leave after the birth of their child. For fathers on the other hand, the law allows just one or two days off work.

The bill provides for the introduction of two weeks’ paid paternity leave. It can be taken within six months of a child’s birth. Compensation will be paid for income lost while on paternity leave. The rate of compensation will be the same as that for women on maternity leave: 80 per cent of the average earned income before the birth of the child, up to a maximum of CHF 196 per day. If the bill becomes law, the Federal Social Insurance Office estimates the cost of two weeks’ paternity leave at around CHF 230 million a year. This will be funded, as is the case for maternity leave, under the Loss of Earnings Compensation Act (EO), i.e. primarily from contributions paid by working people and their employers.

The bill is an indirect counter-proposal made by the Parliament in response to the popular initiative ‘For sensible paternity leave – that benefits the entire family’. This initiative demands four weeks of paternity leave. It has been withdrawn on condition that the bill for two weeks’ paternity leave becomes law. Because a referendum has been called against this bill, a vote has to be held.