Swiss women continue to be paid less than men, particularly in the public sector. The so-called gender wage gap got marginally worse between 2014 and 2018 despite persistent political efforts to tackle wage packet inequality.
On average, women were paid 19% less than male counterparts in the same job in 2018 compared to an 18.1% discrepancy in 2014. The latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) cover a period of intense public and political debate about the issue, which culminated in a new law in December 2018. Companies with over 100 employees now have to conduct regular gender pay audits and inform employees and shareholders of the results.
The gender wage gap remained roughly the same for the private sector as a whole, but with significant differences between individual sectors. Women were awarded considerably less pay than men in banking and insurance jobs compared to the hospitality industry. In government and local authority jobs, the gap increased from 16.6% to 18.1% in the four-year period.
The FSO figures, released on Monday, also found that excuses for pay discrepancies are wearing thinner. Part of the gap can be explained away by differences in age, work experience and educational qualifications. But the percentage of “unexplained” cases rose from 42.4% in 2014 to 45.4% in 2018. This was particularly pronounced in small companies with less than 20 employees.
This means that CHF684 of extra monthly pay for the average male worker in the private sector appears to have no rational basis. The public sector, which saw a rise in disparity overall, saw fewer unexplained cases of pay difference between men and women in the period covered. However, this still left an average CHF602 extra pay for men each month unaccounted for.
The survey showed that the majority (60.9%) of low paid jobs (less than CHF4,000 or $4,461) were held by women, but this proportion is falling. Four out of five top wage earners (more than CHF16,000 per month) were men in 2018.
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss parliament wants to expand support for asbestos victims
This content was published on
The expansion of financial support for asbestos victims by the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund has cleared its first parliamentary hurdle.
Extra month of Swiss pension can be paid out from end of 2026
This content was published on
The 13th monthly pension payment can be paid out from December 2026. However, it has not yet been decided how it will be financed.
Addictions cause billions in damage in Switzerland
This content was published on
The alcohol, tobacco and gambling industries generate billions in revenue. At the same time, they cost the economy billions, according to Addiction Switzerland.
Swiss parliament moves closer to partial ban of tobacco ads
This content was published on
Tobacco advertising should be partially banned in the print media. On Monday the House of Representatives gave the go-ahead for restrictions on advertising, with some relaxations.
Online platforms and UBS in sights of Swiss price watchdog
This content was published on
With over 800 cases processed, including just under 400 recommendations, 2024 once again ended with a record number of cases for the Swiss price watchdog.
Swiss federal office sees no reason to end deportations of asylum-seekers to Croatia
This content was published on
Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) continues to deport asylum-seekers to Croatia. It thus rejects a demand from the Swiss Refugee Council in mid-February, which called for a halt to the returns.
ChatGPT responds to negative emotions and therapy, research shows
This content was published on
Stressful information can also cause anxiety in artificial intelligence (AI). As scientists in Zurich have shown, it's even possible to calm the GPT-4 AI model with mindfulness exercises.
Mortgage benchmark fall paves way for potential rent cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland’s national benchmark for mortgage costs dropped to the level it had before the global inflation surge, paving the way for potential rent reductions.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss parliament passes salary equality law
This content was published on
Companies with over 100 employees will have to do regular pay equity checks thanks to a new law passed in the Swiss parliament.
Swiss wage gap between genders remains bafflingly wide
This content was published on
The pay gap between men and women in Switzerland has increased slightly, amounting to hundreds of francs per month on average.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.