FAQ

BVG stands for Bundesgesetz über die berufliche Alters-, Hinterlassenen- und Invalidenvorsorge (Swiss Federal Law on Occupational Old Age, Survivors’ and Invalidity Pension Provision). It governs who must be insured in Switzerland and how – including in the staff leasing sector. The swissstaffing Pension Fund is an employee benefit institution that is governed by the BVG.

All employees are subject to compulsory insurance who:

• are at least 17 years old
• have not yet reached the AHV retirement age
• earn an hourly wage of at least CHF 9.65 or an annual salary of at least CHF 21,150
• are no more than 70% incapacitated in terms of invalidity insurance (IV)

If you work on a temporary basis, please also note the provisions of the CBA on Staff Leasing.

The BVG contribution rates are made up of three components:

• the savings component – a legal requirement, the same for all pension funds
• the risk element – for financial protection in the event of disability or death
• administration fee – for administration and management

The coordination deduction determines the salary insured with the pension fund. It is equivalent to 7/8 of the maximum AHV annual pension, currently CHF 25,095. This amount is deducted from the base salary, as it is already insured through the AHV. The exact amount may vary in accordance with the regulations.

If an individual earns more than CHF 90,720, the insurance of the amount above this threshold is considered supplementary. Insuring this portion is voluntary – unlike the mandatory portion up to CHF 90,720.
For many workers – including in the temporary work sector – supplementary insurance is worth having, since it leads to greater retirement savings. The swissstaffing Pension Fund offers this option for both temporary and permanent staff.

The Foundation Council is the Foundation’s highest governing body and is responsible for its general management. The Council is made up of equal numbers of representatives of member companies and insured persons.

The insurance policy begins on the first day of employment:

• if an open-ended employment contract is concluded
• if the employment relationship is extended without interruption beyond three months
• if the worker requests it
• if the worker has dependent children to support

As well as on the day when:

• an assignment that was originally planned to be shorter is extended beyond the 13th week, within 52 weeks of the end of the last assignment
• the extension of an assignment with the same temporary employment agency is agreed upon, and the extension plus the initial assignment together last longer than 13 weeks

The annual retirement pension sum is equivalent 6.8% of the retirement savings available at the time of retirement.
In the event of early retirement, the conversion rate is reduced by 0.2 percentage points per year of early withdrawal. If retirement is postponed, the conversion rate is increased by 0.2% for every year it is delayed.
If the pension sum is less than 10% of the minimum AHV retirement pension, the Foundation will pay out a lump sum instead of a pension.

More information is available in the Regulations section of the Downloads area.

All retirement savings in pension funds in Switzerland must earn interest, like a savings account. The mandatory minimum interest rate is set by the federal government.
The swissstaffing Pension Fund pays an above-average interest rate because it is on a very healthy financial footing. This means that you save more money – which will either be transferred to you as a vested benefits payment or will ensure a higher pension later on.

If your employment relationship ends between your 60th birthday (men) or 59th birthday (women) and the ordinary retirement age, you are entitled to an early retirement pension – unless you request the transfer of your vested benefits to a new employee benefit institution or register with unemployment insurance.

A vested benefits account is an account into which your pension capital is transferred when you leave a pension fund without immediately enrolling in another. It is only used for your occupational pension and will accrue interest at a preferential interest rate.
A vested benefits account is required in the following circumstances, among others:

• a temporary break from employment (time spent abroad, continuing education, unemployment)
• a temporary cessation of employment until work is restarted

If you do not transfer your vested benefits to an employee benefit institution or vested benefits institution, they will be transferred to the Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution (Auffangeinrichtung) within six to nine months in accordance with statutory provisions.

• Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution: German 041 799 75 75 | French 021 340 63 33 | Italian 091 610 24 24

Your exit documents will be sent automatically as soon as your employer has notified us that you are leaving.

Transfers are logged on a weekly basis, before Friday each week, and processed by banks the following Wednesday.

Not as a general rule – vested benefits are not intended for payment to a private bank account (Art. 5 FZG). There are exceptions, however:

• Permanent emigration from Switzerland – in the case of relocation to an EU/EFTA country, an application to the BVG Guarantee Fund (BVG Sicherheitsfond) is required (Tel. +41 31 380 79 71)
• Commencement of self-employment (only possible if you have been self-employed for less than a year)
• If the departure benefit is less than your annual contribution

Important: your employer must notify us of your departure. If you are married, the signature and identity card of your spouse are required for a cash payout.

Yes, whenever possible. The payment slip speeds the process up and helps to prevent errors. Generally speaking, all employee benefit and vested benefits institutions offer payment slips.

The policy ends on the last day of the employment relationship. If you do not enter into a new employment relationship, the policy will continue for one more month.

You will receive an updated insurance certificate for every contribution. Because most employee benefit institutions only make one transfer per month, it may take a while before the money is transferred to us.

Your employer will automatically re-enrol you. Your vested benefits from your previous assignment will be credited to the new insurance period – you do not need to provide any further details regarding the transfer.

If the IV (invalidity insurance) considers you to be disabled, you are also considered to be disabled by the Foundation – provided that you were insured with the Foundation at the onset of the incapacity for work, the cause of which led to your disability.

Further information on IV pensions is available in the Regulations section of our Downloads area.

During the employer’s statutory period of continued wage payment (Art. 324a OR or 329f OR), you will continue to make contributions. After that, you are no longer obliged to make contributions – but will still be insured until the end of your contract.
If illness or injury causes a disability recognised by the IV, you and your employer are exempted from the obligation to pay contributions during the nine months prior to recognition of the disability by the IV. From this point onwards, the Foundation assumes responsibility for managing the savings account.

In each case:

• a copy of the family register
• a copy of the death certificate
• a medical certificate of cause of death
• a copy of the certificate of inheritance
• a copy of the AHV decision on survivors’ pensions
• confirmation of any benefits from other social insurances (e.g. SUVA daily allowances)
• bank details for the transfer

If the deceased is divorced: a copy of the final divorce order.
If there are children who are entitled to maintenance: birth certificates, a certificate of university enrolment or apprenticeship contract, and the monthly amount of any family allowances.

Our team will be happy to support you with all the formalities.

You have two options: pledging or advance withdrawal of the savings you have accrued. In both cases, you will need to submit an application form with the required documents. We will check conformity with the statutory provisions (WEFV).
Important:

• Minimum amount for an early withdrawal: CHF 20,000
• From the age of 50, the maximum amount is the higher of: the accumulated capital at age 50 (less any early withdrawals) or half of the currently accrued capital

Send us the application form by post or contact us for more information.

To make additional voluntary contributions, you must be insured with the Foundation. The options for additional contributions depend on statutory provisions and the current fiscal practices. Please contact us and we will send you the required documents.

Please send us this query in writing – by post or email. Make sure you specify the date of your marriage and the expected divorce date so that we can give you the information you need.

Please tell us about your change of address in writing – by post or email. Don’t forget to inform the temporary employment agency that has employed you about your new address, too.