Is there a mandatory retirement age for professors in Switzerland?
Is there a mandatory retirement age in Switzerland?
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Answers,
1. No
2. I don't know
As I read it it is 65 for men and 64 for women.
At my workplace our actuary explained that our retirement plan was originally designed to provide 5 years of benefits. Since life expectancy in Switzerland has increased to 79 for men and 84 for women, he said that men should retire at 74 and women at 79.
65 for men, 64 for women. Some companies allow you to work longer. And if you're self-employed, you can work as long as you want.
All companies allow out work shorter, usually in connection with pension plan cuts.
Yes, however they aren't mandatory.
Tom
Exactly, 64/65 minus 1/2 years or plus up to 5 years is possible.
They're mandatory for the employers. Nobody can force you to work longer. Employees can volunteer to do so - but at most companies that's not possible.
Um... welcome to the forum.
But you can and often are forced to work less. Many of the big insurance companies retire their staff at 62.
Meanwhile Coop will not employ anyone over 70...
Thank you everyone for your quick responses. I am asking because I am a professor in Japan. In Japan it is mandatory to retire at 65. I would like to continue teaching and research at a university past the age of 65 if possible. I have EU citizenship and relatives in Switzerland and visit Switzerland often (although I am not Swiss). For these reasons I hope to find a teaching post at a university in Switzerland (although I realize it is very competitive). Generally speaking, is it possible to continue teaching and doing research at a Swiss university past the age of 65, and not be forced to retire at a certain age?
I am sure you will get a very well informed response from the universities directly if you call them, tell them your profession, that you would like to work for them (given that is what you want to do) and ask them about their policies. Give it a shot, good luck
I think you are right in supposing that the openings for professors are few and far between. However there certainly are people working in the accademic field beyond the age of 65. If you are well known in your field on an international level and have published widely and your name would add kudos to a university things might work out, though you would probably not be looking at permanent employment.
yeah, but if they force you to retire early, you don't have to accept any cuts in your pension plan.
You won't get a professorship (University jobs are part of the public administration domain. As such, keeping a professorship beyond 65 is usually not possible) - but you might very well be able to work as a visiting professor. Try to figure out where you would like to teach and who's responsible for your field of study.
Peter
My husband is a professor at a Swiss university. There is a mandatory retirement age of 65, but you can continue some work between 65 and 70, and continue to apply for grants. That would seem to be easier, however, if you're established here.
It's very difficult to be hired after 50-55 because of the pension requirements, although if you have a pension already and they want you badly enough, anything is possible.
It is possible for a non Swiss, even a non EU citizen to be hired.
It might well be difficult to be hired post retirement however. Really, the best source of info would be departments you might fit into. If you have unique skills, who knows?
But that protection only kicks in at age 55. Which is why at many companies employees approaching that age are often 'restructured' at the latest by 54.5, before any protections kick in.
In OH's industry, few in Switzerland make it to the company's official retirement age. If one wishes to continue working, one makes plans for a second career after the inevitable mid-50s 'restructuring'.
Depends on if you're talking about AHV state pension entitlements, 2nd pillar pension entitlements and 3rd pillar entitlements which don't necessarily correspond.
For example my 2nd pillar has a normal retirement age of 65/64 for non-executive staff with early retirement 3 years early. However an exec can retire fully earlier, and therefore have an earlier early retirement. It depends on the law, and your plan rules.
What I find funny is that apparently if you pay AHV beyond 64/65 it doesn't count towards your entitlement, perhaps this is to be included in the proposed revisions by M. Berset by 2017.
Executive staff yes. Non-executive staff not necessarily. I've a colleague who just turned 65 and continues part time for almost an additional year of his own volition.
65 for men, 62 for women. As people already in the 1950ies/60ies became more than 80 years old, what your actuary says simply is rubbish. The "average" includes accidents and accidental illnesses and so is not really relevant.
I realise this is an old thread, but it's relevant to a question I was about to ask. Does anyone know whether continuing work beyond 65 in an academic environment is something that extends to employees other than professors? e.g. if a researcher has useful skills and has worked in the university for a while, would an existing professor be able to retain them up to the age of 70 or so?