FAQ

To be eligible for maternity allowance, you must meet the following conditions:

• You must have been insured with the AVS for the 9 months prior to giving birth.
• You must have been gainfully employed for at least 5 months during those 9 months.

Important:

• The duration of leave is 16 weeks (14 federal weeks + 2 cantonal weeks)
• If you return to work before the end of your leave, you will lose your entitlement to the remaining allowances

Your registration will be validated when you receive official confirmation :

• By mail for paper applications 
• By email for online applications.

Salary declarations and social security contributions are taken into account from the start date of the contract, provided that salaries are declared and contributions are paid. 

Important: To obtain confirmation, first send Chèque Service the completed and signed registration form, along with the required documents.

This procedure must be carried out at the OCPM, Office cantonal de la population et des migrations, route de Chancy 88, 1213 Onex.  

Numerous associations also provide information and support: 

• Le Centre de Contact Suisses-Immigrés
• Centre Social Protestant
• Collectif de soutien aux Sans-Papiers
• EPER
• SIT Union
• UNIA Union

For healthcare: Consultation ambulatoire

Important: 

• Chèque service does not handle permit applications.

By default, the DSBI applies.

To check, you can consult your pay slips or ask your employers directly. If “DSBI” is not mentioned, this means that the agreement you have with your employer applies.

Important :

• The DSBI applies by contract; only contracts with DSBI are taken into account when calculating compensation.
• Another system is possible but must be specified in your contract.
• If in doubt, contact Chèque service.

No, Helsana Daily Sickness Benefits Insurance (DSBI) only pays daily allowances from the 31st day of illness to compensate for your loss of earnings during your incapacity for work.

Medical expenses must be submitted to your private health insurance. They are not covered by Helsana Daily Sickness Benefits Insurance.

No, these are two separate documents:

Membership form

• Document for service check only
• Does not replace an employment contract

Employment contract

• Essential document to be drawn up separately
• Defines the working relationship between employer and employee
• A contract template is available under documents

Important : 

• The registration form covers the main points of an employment contract.
• An employment contract is essential for defining working conditions.

The process is simple: your employee must contact Chèque service to announce her expected delivery date, and the allowance application form will be sent to her shortly before she gives birth.

Chèque service is only available to employers who are tax residents of Geneva. For similar services in other cantons, please visit www.cheques-emploi-suisse.ch. 

Social insurance provides you with everyday protection in Switzerland. It functions as a well-organized security system that supports you in the event of life's unforeseen circumstances: illness, accidents, job loss, and retirement.

The principle is simple: we all contribute together to protect each other. This system includes several complementary insurance policies:

• AVS/AI for retirement and disability
• Occupational pension plan (pension fund)
• Insurance against loss of earnings due to illness
• Accident insurance
• Unemployment insurance
• Family allowances

Each one plays its part in offering you comprehensive protection, tailored to different situations in life.

The LPP (Occupational Pensions Act) is the second pillar of social security in Switzerland, complementing the AVS. It protects your employee in the event of old age (retirement), death, or disability. . 

Your employee is subject to the LPP if their annualized gross salary exceeds CHF 22'680 per contract. The contribution is shown on the pay slip.

Important :

• Affiliation is calculated per contract. 
• Contributions are often shared between you and your employee.
• If the threshold is reached, the LPP applies from the beginning of the year and retroactively if necessary. In this case, you can claim your share of the contribution.
• If your employee is affiliated at the beginning of the year or contract, your employee remains insured until the end of the calendar year or contract

The process is simple: contact Chèque service to announce your expected delivery date and the allowance application form will be sent to you shortly before you give birth.

In order for us to change your employee's last name in our database, please send us a copy of their civil status certificate, which must specify their old and new names.

Important: the civil status certificate is the only document accepted for this change.

Your LPP assets must be consolidated into a single account to facilitate calculation upon retirement. Your former employer's pension fund will send you a form that will allow you to transfer your assets to:

• your new employer's pension fund, provided you have a new job
• a vested benefits account, if you do not have a new job within six months

Important: It is not necessary to transfer your assets if your former employer already reported you via Chèque service.

The right to paid leave for the other parent begins on the day the child is born. 

The other parent's leave:

• lasts 14 calendar days (including weekends), or 10 working days if taken as individual days
• must be taken within 6 months of the birth
• is paid leave covered by loss of earnings compensation (APG)

Important: any days not taken after 6 months are lost.

To be eligible for the other parent's allowance, you must meet three conditions:

• Be the legal parent at birth, or recognize the child within 6 months of birth.
• Have been insured under the AVS for the 9 months prior to the birth.
• Have worked for at least 5 months during those 9 months.

Important: all of these conditions must be met in order to be eligible for paid leave.