Livelihoods at risk: Caritas criticizes social security gaps

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According to a statement on Tuesday, the organization signals a weakness in, for example, unemployment insurance. With a low wage or a part-time job, the unemployment benefit of 80 percent is soon no longer enough to live on.

About ten percent of the employed also work in atypical forms of work, such as on-demand work. They are insufficiently protected against loss of income and also not in the field of old-age provisions.

Social assistance too low

The AHV and IV pensions are often not sufficient to provide for living expenses. However, the surcharges compensate for this. There are even more weaknesses in the low-income self-employed. These are often not insured against accident and illness because this is not mandatory and the premiums are very high.

If there are no social security benefits, if they are not sufficient or if unemployment benefits are running out, the only option is to go to the OCMW. However, according to Caritas, the assistance is too low to cover the minimum living costs over a longer period. In addition, many of those affected do not go to social assistance out of shame or for fear of losing their residence permit as a foreigner.

According to the Caritas point of view, it makes little sense and is unfair that social security in Switzerland varies depending on the reason for the need for support, residence status or place of residence.

System change required

Caritas therefore advocates a fundamental change to the system. Rather than continuing to run several ill-coordinated social security systems in parallel, it would be more effective to introduce dignified and adequate means of earning a living, regardless of the difficulties faced by the individual.

That is why the aid organization proposes a supplement for anyone who does not have enough income to live on. The current supplementary benefits of AHV and IV and the supplementary family benefits in the cantons of Vaud, Geneva, Solothurn and Ticino should serve as an example. In addition to the financial benefits, the sole responsible institution should also provide advice and support.

(SDA)

Source:Blick