Implications of hiring babysitter 4 hours per week

Anyone with experience on this topic? If we have to hire someone 4 hours a week to shuttle our kid between activities and school, what are the considerations for maternity or sick leave for the babysitter? Is it financially worth going through an agency that employs the sitter instead of me so that I can avoid sick leave issues?

there are no such things for 'Stundenlohn'

no

We did this some years ago. We had the contract through quitt.ch, to make sure everything is above board (peace of mind, as I, as a foreigner, did not want to do anything shady).

This is a common misconception, but it is not accurate. All employees, even temporary or part-time employees, including those with an hourly wage, are entitled to sick-pay if they are unable to work because of illness, accident, for some limited number of weeks depending upon how long they have been in employ at that employer their wage if their absence is due to compulsory military or social service or (for a limited duration) maternity and paternity leave their wage if the employer prevents them from working (e.g. they arrive at work but the door is locked and the employer forgot to organise access) holiday pay (which can be paid out pro rata with their hourly wage, and must be specified as a separate payment).
OP, you might find some of the information in this fairly recent, related thread, helpful:
Hiring a cleaner: Is there a “minimum” number of hours?
https://www.englishforum.ch/daily-li…ber-hours.html

I thought that was only if you employ someone for more than 8 hours per week.

The list above (and the even longer list in the thread to which I linked) applies to all employment of any kind, includine part-time and on an hourly remuneration.

You are right, however, that there is a cut-off point known as "more than an average of 8 hours per week". It determines the extent of the accident insurance cover that the employer must offer .

If the employee works for fewer than 8 hours per week , then the employer must buy (at the employer's cost) accident insurance that covers the costs of treatment of accidents suffered by the employee at work and on the direct, uninterrupted journey between their home and the place of work, to and from work. I'm sorry, I don't know the term in French, but in German this is called BU, for Berufsunfallversicherung, meaning work accident insurance.

an average of 8 or more hours per week , then the employer must buy accident insurance that covers accidents everywhere at all times, even in the employee's free-time. It is compulsory for the employer to ensure that the employee has this cover, (offer it, organise it, make the payments) but the cost of this can be passed on to the employee (as a deduction from their wage). However, since the amounts are relatively small, for part-time employees working in the lower hourly wage range, good employers simply cover this insurance, too. In German this is called NBU, for nicht-Berufsunfallversicherung, i.e. non-work accident insurance.

I knew about the accident insurance. We keep the 100 chf accident insurance going on for occasional evening sitters. I have been wondering if the extra 12chf we would pay per hour to an agency ( approximately ) is worth it in case the babysitter is sick-- we would not lose our money and be left without child care. I really value group child care and prefer to use the hort, but it may happen that we need another solution one day per week.

QUOTE=doropfiz;3516504]The list above (and the even longer list in the thread to which I linked) applies to all employment of any kind, includine part-time and on an hourly remuneration.

You are right, however, that there is a cut-off point known as "more than an average of 8 hours per week". It determines the extent of the accident insurance cover that the employer must offer .

If the employee works for fewer than 8 hours per week , then the employer must buy (at the employer's cost) accident insurance that covers the costs of treatment of accidents suffered by the employee at work and on the direct, uninterrupted journey between their home and the place of work, to and from work. I'm sorry, I don't know the term in French, but in German this is called BU, for Berufsunfallversicherung, meaning work accident insurance.

an average of 8 or more hours per week , then the employer must buy accident insurance that covers accidents everywhere at all times, even in the employee's free-time. It is compulsory for the employer to ensure that the employee has this cover, (offer it, organise it, make the payments) but the cost of this can be passed on to the employee (as a deduction from their wage). However, since the amounts are relatively small, for part-time employees working in the lower hourly wage range, good employers simply cover this insurance, too. In German this is called NBU, for nicht-Berufsunfallversicherung, i.e. non-work accident insurance. [/QUOTE]