White Paper – Flexwork and Social Protection: Temporary work as a trailblazer
As a result of cultural change and economic development, the number of people who want to work flexibly is increasing. Therefore politicians, authorities, and social partners are discussing with concern whether this trend will cause a re-thinking of social questions. Currently, society is facing two challenges: Are there sufficient social safeguards for people who work flexibly – especially freelancers? And: Does a constant decline in the number of employees present risks with regard to the contributions made to the system of social safeguards in Switzerland?
In this white paper, swissstaffing, the association of staffing service providers, will show using the example of temporary workers what flexworkers' motives are and how they are integrated into commercial life. A legal interpretive opinion provides an overview of the social safeguards for different forms of work and subjects them to a fitness test for the future – with a focus on the new model of platform work.
The life of a flexworker is characterized by the constant changing between phases of employment and searching for employment. To design this kind of life, there are three legal forms available: classic employment, temporary employment, and self-employment or - in transition phases - receipt of unemployment benefits.
- A comparison of the social safeguards of the various work forms shows that most self-employed individuals do not have compulsory insurance against social risks and they have to find sufficient insurance protection themselves.
- In comparison to employees according to OR, temporary employees enjoy equivalent social safeguards, which are tailored to the needs of people who are working flexibly.
In this context, a form of employment is frequently required, one that combines the flexibility of self-employment with the social safeguards of permanent employment. Under Swiss law, this intermediate form already exists in temporary staffing.
