Hello All, I hope someone can help me with this question about RAV, maybe if they’ve already went through something similar.
I’m an EU citizen, I’ve come to CH with a job a few years ago and I’m being laid off at the end of this month. As I was notified some time ago, I’ve been studying and preparing for a new career, but I still have a few months to go before I’m ready. My plan is to continue studying, relying on my severance for expenses, and then look for the job I’m preparing for. If I can’t find it quickly, then register at RAV and keep looking.
I was told that RAV uses an average of your salary in the last X months as reference for how much they should pay you, so that spun up some questions about how many months I could take for studying before registering, without bringing my possible unemployment “salary” down.
Does anyone know if:
RAV counts non-worked months when calculating that average? (thus bringing the value down)
If not, how many non-worked months can I take without registering before my previous job salary is no longer taken into account?
I’ve called the local RAV and they told me there’s no possibility to register and then request a pause while I’m studying. They’ve gave me 2 numbers to call about the finnancial aspect, but haven’t had a chance to speak with someone in English yet, so asking here. (German is one of the things I’m trying to speed up in my studies as well, totally my bad).
I’m in Zurich btw
Thanks!
EDIT 1:
From the “Anspruch Taggelder” table at the https:// www.zh.ch/de/wirtschaft-arbeit/stellensuche-arbeitslosigkeit/arbeitslosenentschaedigung.html , I would understand that they don’t use non-worked months for the calculation as they refer to months where one contributed to the insurance, which would be the ones worked. ( I would probably need a person to confirm this to feel safe)
As per my last questions, as I’m between 25 and 55 years old, based on the table it looks like I have 2 options:
Take a bit less than 12 months of study time, but then have the RAV salary caped at 260/day (22 workday/month * 260 = CHF 5,720/month).
Take less than 6 months of study time, to have a daily cap of 400 (CHF 8,800/month)
So being July right now, I guess I could register and start looking for a job in November or December. Does that make sense? or am I missing something?
The whole reason for the RAV’s existence is to get you back into work as soon as possible and, as soon as you are under their wing you have to proactively show your efforts to get a job.
The payments/eligibility is based on (IIRC) working a total of 12 months in the previous 18 month period. You get 70% (80% if you have kids) of your previous salary (up to a cap) for 400 days.
As you’ve found out from your phone call with them they are super strict and very seldom veer from the rules.
Additional point - it really helps your case if you can show that you started looking for work as soon as you found out you were getting the push from your previous job.
I remember reading that the amount you get is based on a window of time. If you are not working for part of this window, then it reduce your average salary in the window and therefor the amount you are eligible for.
To be eligible one must of worked a full year in the last 2 years. In addition one must start searching for a new job immediately upon finding out that they have been laid off or fired. A record of the search must be kept and at least 10 job applications a month must be done. The payout is based on ones income for the last 12 months.
When you apply, you must have worked at least 12 months in the preceding 24 months to qualify for payments. That alone gives you up to 12 months you can wait for if you’ve worked the entire most recent 24 months.
But you can suspend drawing, IIRC for up to 24 months. You apply for RAV, which opens the so-called Rahmenfrist (i.e. the parameters for you drawing money are determined), and say you’re not looking for a job currently. In order to draw money you need to be looking for work and be available, so you don’t qualify at the moment. But if you have problems later on you can still draw money based on your now-ending employment.
So, taken together, you can have up to three years of a “break”. However, do take this with a good pinch of salt as I can’t be bothered to make sure my memory serves. Instead, enquire with the RAV.
Make sure you have accident insurance. You’re insured by your employer but that’ll end soon. You can buy up to six months extension, you want to do that. After that you want to have it via your mandatory health insurance (costs less than 10 CHF IIRC), it’s an option that can be activated and deactivated at short notice.
Also, make sure there’s no gap year for your pillar 1, AHV. You need contributions of around 1k for the year to count. Look into paying in voluntarily to avoid a gap if you are below (drawing RAV automatically generates contributions, same as when you’re employed).
By default your pillar 2 (Pensionskasse) will be transferred to a blocked account where it accrues negligible interest. Instead you could transfer it to finpension (or VIAC) so you can invest it. Theoretically, you need to transfer it to the pension of your new employer later on, but if you’re young you might decide to leave it with finpension so it can gain much higher returns in the coming decades.
It’s calculated on the last 6 months or last 12 months average, whichever is the better for you. Obviously if the final 4 months are 0 it will make a huge difference.