Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Switzerland (Ratification: 2013)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

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The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its reports of 31 August 2018 and 30 August 2022.

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Labour market trends. The Committee notes with interest that the number of active persons in Switzerland rose by 1.6 percentage points between 2011 and 2021 to reach 83.7 per cent, with a large increase among persons aged between 55 and 64 years (over 5.9 percentage points). The Committee notes that the activity rate is still higher for men than for women (87.5 per cent for men compared with 79.7 er cent for women). The Committee also notes that, with an unemployment rate of 1.9 per cent in August 2023, Switzerland had its lowest unemployment rate for the past 20 years. The combination of several factors, such as a high activity rate, a good rate of economic growth and a tight labour market appears to be very favourable in light of the objectives of the Convention. The Committee also observes that the Swiss labour market has been subject to significant developments under the influence of factors such as sustained economic growth, which is resulting in an increase in the demand for labour; the digital transformation, which is affecting many economic sectors, resulting in increased demand for workers with skills in the fields of technology, data and artificial intelligence, and the ageing of the population, which is leading to a shortage of workers in certain sectors, and particularly health care and education. The Committee further notes that, despite a high level of economic growth, the Federal Office of Statistics estimates that in 2021, 8.7 per cent of the Swiss population, or around 745,000 people, were affected by income poverty; 40 per cent of all persons affected by poverty live in a household that is in receipt of a salary and 4.2 per cent of active persons in employment in Switzerland were affected by poverty, or 157,000 persons. The number of persons living in precarity is more than double when households are included in which the income is just above the poverty threshold. The Federal Office of Statistics indicates in this regard that there is no clear trend in the evolution of the poverty rate for active persons in employment and that the groups that are particularly affected by poverty despite exercising an occupational activity include those who only work for part of the year, the self-employed, persons with fixed-term contracts and those working in small enterprises. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures adopted or envisaged, and their impact, to address the challenges indicated above in relation to the evolution of the labour market. Moreover, recalling that employment policy, in accordance with the Convention, shall contribute to stimulating economic growth and development, meeting labour needs and overcoming unemployment and underemployment, as well as raising levels of living, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which employment policies address the issue of poverty among active persons, particularly in a context of the rising cost of food, energy, health insurance premiums and rents. The Committee also requests the Government to continue providing statistical data, disaggregated by age and sex, on the labour market and employment trends in the country, including on part-time work.

Implementation of an active employment policy. Specific categories of workers. With reference to women’s employment, the Committee notes the adoption in April 2021 of the Equality Strategy 2030, which focuses on four principal themes: promoting equality in professional life; improving the reconciliation of work and family life; preventing violence; and combating discrimination. With regard to the reconciliation of working and private life, the Committee notes that the Government’s report indicates that while a majority of women work part time in Switzerland (57.5 per cent in 2021), only a minority of men do so (15.5 per cent), that nearly 30 per cent of the women concerned indicate that they do so to care for their children, and only 16 per cent say that they do not wish to work full time. With regard to youth employment, the Committee notes that the unemployment insurance scheme proposes measures to support the transition from compulsory education to the labour market, such as vocational internships and six-month motivation courses. In relation to the employment of older workers, the Committee notes that in 2021 the 6th national conference on this subject drew up an assessment of the 14 dedicated measures adopted in Switzerland. The Committee also notes that the Federal Council adopted time-bound measures in 2019 to improve the labour market integration of older jobseekers. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing updated information on the measures adopted for the implementation of a policy of full, productive and freely chosen employment for workers, and particularly women, youth and older workers. With regard to women’s employment, the Committee refers to its comments on the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), and, in light of the above, requests the Government to indicate the measures adopted to improve the situation of women on the employment market, and particularly measures to remove barriers to full-time employment and to prevent discrimination in employment. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the above measures on the employment of older persons and youth.

Coordination of education and training policies with employment policy. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the Swiss policy on skilled workers, the evaluation of the policy in a final report of 2018 on the initiative to combat the shortage of skilled personnel and the inclusion of this policy as a permanent objective of the Secretariat of State for the Economy as from 2019. The Committee also notes the adoption of a vocational training 2030 project intended to anticipate changes on the labour market and adapt vocational training in Switzerland as a consequence. The Committee refers to its comments on the application of the Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142), and requests the Government to provide information in the impact of the measures adopted to improve the skills levels of workers and to coordinate education and training policies with employment prospects.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of policies.Having noted the general information provided by the Government in its 2018 report, which contains a list of the tripartite consultation bodies on employment policy, the Committee requests the Government to provide specific examples of the consultations held with the social partners and the manner in which their views have been taken into account in the formulation and implementation of employment policies and measures.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention.

Article 1(2) of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Government indicates in its report that the implementation of an active employment policy is one of the major goals of macroeconomic policy. The Committee notes that the country’s performance with regard to labour market policy is based on several factors, namely: price stability; long-term average budget balance and the smooth operation of short-term economic stabilizers; a diversified economic structure; flexibility of the active population; focus on vocational training and the dual training system; the policy regarding foreign workers; and decentralized relations between employers and workers. Moreover, in view of the large number of free trade agreements that have been concluded, the Government considers that foreign trade policy plays a key role in achieving the goal of full employment. The Government also indicates that although the unemployment rate has risen since the early 1990s, it is still low when compared with international levels. The Committee notes that there has been only a very slight increase in the average annual unemployment rate, from 3.2 per cent in 2013 to 3.3 per cent in 2015. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken as part of the implementation of an active employment policy and also on their impact in terms of job creation.

Article 2. Statistics and information on the labour market. The Committee notes that the cantons of Vaud, Neuchâtel and Geneva have been recorded as having the highest unemployment rates between 2013 and 2015 (the annual average for 2015 for these cantons was 5 per cent, 5.5 per cent and 5.6 per cent, respectively). Moreover, the number of jobseekers – namely, unemployed persons registered with the regional employment offices and persons seeking work who are not unemployed – fell from 205,802 in December 2013 to 203,926 in December 2014, then increased to 220,209 in December 2015. In December 2015, the long-term unemployed accounted for 14.4 per cent of registered unemployed persons. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing statistical information, disaggregated by age and sex, on the labour market and on employment trends in the country.

Particular categories of workers. The Government indicates that the policy for mobilizing the active population also covers the reintegration of certain vulnerable groups. The Committee notes that the average annual unemployment rate for young persons (15–24 age group) fell by 0.1 percentage points between 2013 and 2015, whereas it dropped from 3.4 per cent in 2013 to 3.2 per cent in 2014. The average annual unemployment rate for women fell from 3.1 per cent in 2013 to 3 per cent in 2014 but went back up to 3.1 per cent in 2015. Moreover, according to the information in the Government’s report, a majority of women work part-time (59.2 per cent). As regards older workers, the Committee notes that even though the unemployment rate for the 55–64 age group was below the average, individuals in this group face difficulties in finding new jobs and are at greater risk of long-term unemployment. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of measures taken to promote employment for women, young people and older workers.

Coordination of education and training policies with employment policy. The Government reports on the launch in 2011 of an initiative aimed at combating the shortage of skilled workers. Accordingly, four priority areas of action have been defined: raising skill levels; improving the work–life balance; creating good conditions of work for older workers; and encouraging innovation. The Committee refers to its comments on the Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142), and requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken in education and training policy and on how they are connected with enabling the beneficiaries of these measures to find productive employment.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of policies. The Committee notes that the Government invites broad participation in consultations. Consultation forums include parliamentary committees or “de Watteville talks”, bringing together the government parties with a view to determining the broad lines of economic policy in the country; the council of the Swiss National Bank, which brings together representatives of the social partners; and the tripartite committees for support measures relating to the free movement of persons. The Committee requests the Government to provide examples of consultations held with the social partners on the matters covered by the Convention.