Change of Employment Contract

Finance, Taxes, Banking, Insurance and Retirement
1
Hello ,

The start of this year has been quite a whirlwind.

I have been notified by my employer that I will be moved into a new start up entity.

I have been promised the same employment benefits.

However, the new company is much smaller and has much higher risk of failing.

To add the the mix, the employer has recently made redundant quite some people.

I am not very familiar with Swiss employment law. I signed a contract with my present company, which I would never done with this start-up company.

I have been informed that if I don't sign - I need to serve my notice period.

Your advice/opinion is welcome.

2
They can quite easily make you redundant from your current job. I assume that is basically what they are doing, but giving you the option of the other job.

3
That. And if they adhere to the notification period etc, it is easy to let someone go.

Why not take the job at the start up and quietly start looking around?

4
It sucks, but you still have a job - nothing illegal or wrong about that.

If it concerns you, best to keep going and simultaneously look for another role.

Best of luck!

5
This happens often when a corporation is restructuring its legal structure. If employment conditions are the same there is nothing to worry about. Only check that you can keep your corporate years of employment and make sure you don't get a new probation time.

6
Also get a Zwischenzeugnis (interim reference - don't know what it's called in French) as you end your current contract.

7
that's what my through are. Essentially, it buys me more time to find another suitable job outside.

8
yes. The seniority is retained in terms of years of employment as well as there is no probation in place.

However, the people who were laid off were given the current company's severence, which is the common practice.

However, what happens with this start-up tomorrow - neither the HR can tell or can anybody in the company.

9
True of course, but in hindsight the same can be said for the current company, since they are suddenly laying off people and changing structure.

You will have time to assess the new situation and decide if and when to leave, this is good. You might have lost a big severance package, but you are keeping your full salary and if you find a better job all of this won't matter anymore.

I wish you all the best for the "new" position