Switzerland is the fourthly glowed country for working mothers
Guest column
Switzerland is the fourth most bad country for working mothers – should you just accept that?
More family time is urgently needed in Switzerland. Only Japan, South Korea and Turkey do worse on this topic. This shows an evaluation of the British business magazine “Economist” among 38 countries of the OECD.
A factor included in the calculation of the “Economist” is the paid maternity and paternity vacation. In Switzerland, there is a 14 -week acquisition replacement of 80 percent for mothers and two weeks of paternity vacation. In international comparison, we also take the rear ranks here.
Work and baby – a Herculean task for many mothers.
Laura Zimmermann *
… is a former Co-President of Operaton Libero and works in an advertising agency. She regularly writes columns for CH media.
My husband took a total of four weeks of paternity after the birth of our daughter. The employer took over three, and he took a vacation for a week. I had a not quite uncomplicated puerperium. Pregnancy poisoning immediately after birth and a birth injury were added to the usual puerperium complaints. Is that too detailed for you? It is the reality of many mothers, you have to start talking about it.
When my husband worked full -time after a month, according to the doctors, I was not allowed to raise more than my daughter weighing just over three kilograms at the time. All mothers are actually in a kind of rehab for the time of the weekly bed. You are not suitable for everyday use two or four weeks after birth. This is how all doctors see this. You have to recover physically and mentally from birth, but at the same time you should throw the household and take care of a new living being. And please, because the dad is back at work. This is how our legislature sees it.
Impossible expectations of the mothers
This legislation is inhumane. She is inhumane for fathers who are torn out of her father role so abruptly. It is inhumane for mothers who are faced with impossible expectations. Above all, it is inhumane for all babies that are dependent on their parents.
After 14 weeks back to work and giving a three -month -old baby in strange hands, it is out of the question. Hardly any mother is ready to work again after 14 weeks. No baby is then ready to be away from the parents for so long. Above all, however, many babies are still fully breastfed. You have to address the logistical and other challenges to do this in the workplace.
If I’m honest, 18 weeks of family time are still much too short. In international comparison, we would not yet take top positions. But with the additional holidays and – if you can afford it financially – any unpaid vacation it would be a much better starting point. Especially for fathers. And also for mothers because they are relieved a bit.
The demands of the family time initiative are still conservative, even if they bring a significant improvement. One should sign the advance of an alliance from the middle women, the green liberals, the Greens, the Alliance F and the Travail Suisse union from full conviction.
