Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
MPs to discuss tax cuts for full-time employees; fake job scam is spreading in Switzerland; and other news in our roundup on Tuesday.
Proposal to grant tax cuts to full-time employees under debate
One of the incentives to make full-time employment more attractive is to offer a tax rebate to everyone with a full-time job.
This proposal from MP Damian Müller will be debated in the parliament this week.
If more people work full rather than part time, Switzerland will solve its labour shortages “without having to depend on immigration,” he said.
However, while filling vacant jobs is a priority, not everyone sees Müller’s proposal as feasible.
“Our tax system is already far too complicated" to tamper with, according to economist, Mathias Binswanger.
READ ALSO: Why is Switzerland's chronic labour shortage worsening?
And speaking of employment…
Authorities warn against fake job scams
The scammers are currently contacting their victims via messaging services such as Whatsapp and Telegram, presenting themselves as job recruiters who seek people in Switzerland who can work from home.
So far it sounds legitimate, except that “candidates are lured by promises of extraordinary earnings that are disproportionately high relative to the nature of the tasks to be performed,” according to the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC).
Problems begin after recruitment, when candidates are directed to a platform where they must register to obtain assignments. “It is an imitation of a legitimate website,” explains the federal authority.
All salary and bonus payments must be settled via this fake platform and recruited workers must pay most of the fees themselves.
The NCSC is urging the public to not respond to these messages and block fake recruiters from further contact.
Swiss army ends the sale of its bunkers
Over the years, many of Switzerland’s old military bunkers have been ‘decommissioned’ and sold off to private companies or individulas.
However, the remaining bunkers will no longer be sold, “in the context of the war in Ukraine," army chief Thomas Süssli told Swiss media.
These installations still have military utility,” he said.
These bunkers are intended for military use only — for instance, to store army equipment or provide shelter for troops — and are therefore different from civilian fallout facilities.
READ ALSO: What does Swiss government want you to know about bomb shelters?
No, the US hasn’t attacked Switzerland (and yes, Switzerland is still neutral)
If you see some unusual activity in Swiss skies this week, don’t be concerned.
From today until Thursday, Swiss Air Force will train together with the US Air Force in Switzerland.
Swiss F/A-18 jets will take off from their base in Payerne (VD), while American F-16 fighter planes will fly over from Aviano, Italy.
“The joint training is part of the long-standing cooperation between the two air forces in the area of education and training,” the Federal Defence Department said in a press release on Monday.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Proposal to grant tax cuts to full-time employees under debate
One of the incentives to make full-time employment more attractive is to offer a tax rebate to everyone with a full-time job.
This proposal from MP Damian Müller will be debated in the parliament this week.
If more people work full rather than part time, Switzerland will solve its labour shortages “without having to depend on immigration,” he said.
However, while filling vacant jobs is a priority, not everyone sees Müller’s proposal as feasible.
“Our tax system is already far too complicated" to tamper with, according to economist, Mathias Binswanger.
READ ALSO: Why is Switzerland's chronic labour shortage worsening?
And speaking of employment…
Authorities warn against fake job scams
The scammers are currently contacting their victims via messaging services such as Whatsapp and Telegram, presenting themselves as job recruiters who seek people in Switzerland who can work from home.
So far it sounds legitimate, except that “candidates are lured by promises of extraordinary earnings that are disproportionately high relative to the nature of the tasks to be performed,” according to the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC).
Problems begin after recruitment, when candidates are directed to a platform where they must register to obtain assignments. “It is an imitation of a legitimate website,” explains the federal authority.
All salary and bonus payments must be settled via this fake platform and recruited workers must pay most of the fees themselves.
The NCSC is urging the public to not respond to these messages and block fake recruiters from further contact.
Swiss army ends the sale of its bunkers
Over the years, many of Switzerland’s old military bunkers have been ‘decommissioned’ and sold off to private companies or individulas.
However, the remaining bunkers will no longer be sold, “in the context of the war in Ukraine," army chief Thomas Süssli told Swiss media.
These installations still have military utility,” he said.
These bunkers are intended for military use only — for instance, to store army equipment or provide shelter for troops — and are therefore different from civilian fallout facilities.
READ ALSO: What does Swiss government want you to know about bomb shelters?
No, the US hasn’t attacked Switzerland (and yes, Switzerland is still neutral)
If you see some unusual activity in Swiss skies this week, don’t be concerned.
From today until Thursday, Swiss Air Force will train together with the US Air Force in Switzerland.
Swiss F/A-18 jets will take off from their base in Payerne (VD), while American F-16 fighter planes will fly over from Aviano, Italy.
“The joint training is part of the long-standing cooperation between the two air forces in the area of education and training,” the Federal Defence Department said in a press release on Monday.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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