In the referendum held on September 27, 2020, the proposal for paid paternity leave was approved with 60.3 percent of the vote in favor. This means that fathers are entitled to two weeks of paid leave within six months of the birth of a child. Like maternity benefits, this leave is funded through the Income Replacement Scheme (EO). The measure takes effect on January 1, 2021.
Who is eligible?
Loss of earnings during paternity leave is compensated. The same principles apply as for maternity leave. Fathers who were employed at the time of the child’s birth–whether as employees or self-employed individuals–are eligible for compensation. They must also have been covered by mandatory AHV insurance for the nine months prior to the birth and have been employed for at least five months during that period. The compensation is paid either directly to the employee or to the employer, if the employer continues to pay the employee’s wages during the leave.
Amount of Compensation
As with maternity leave, the benefit amounts to 80 percent of the average earned income prior to the child’s birth, up to a maximum of 196 francs per day. For two weeks of leave, 14 daily benefits are paid, resulting in a maximum amount of 2,744 francs.