Submitted to the Federal Chancellery on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, the Swiss initiative for parental leave proposes 18 weeks of paid leave for each parent after the birth of a child. For young adults starting a family while also beginning their professional lives, this could change how they organize the first few months with a child. However, it is not yet a right: the signatures must be verified and the text will have to go through the political process.
A leave of absence tailored to each parent
The committee reports having submitted 112,517 signatures. The Federal Chancellery still needs to verify their validity; a federal popular initiative requires at least 100,000 valid signatures to succeed. Therefore, submitting the signatures does not mean that the initiative has been adopted or that a voting date has been set. The Federal Chancellery provides details of the procedural steps .
The text provides for 18 weeks of leave for each parent, with no possibility of transferring unused weeks to the other parent. They could be on leave simultaneously for a maximum of one-quarter of this period, or four and a half weeks. Compensation would be based on the system of allowances for loss of earnings related to military or civilian service; the committee announces 100% income coverage for the lowest earners.
This allocation aims to reserve time for each parent, rather than creating a single period that the family could freely allocate. For a young working or self-employed parent, the duration and actual level of compensation would therefore be important factors to consider should the legislation ever come into effect. However, the precise details would depend on the follow-up to the initiative and the implementing regulations.
This already exists in Switzerland
Currently, the federal system provides, under certain conditions, 14 weeks of paid maternity leave for the mother who gives birth and two weeks for the other parent. For the latter, the allowance is equal to 80% of their income, with a maximum of 220 francs per day; the leave can be taken all at once or in separate days within the six months following the birth. Cantonal or employer-specific provisions may be more generous, according to the official portal ch.ch.
The initiative is supported by representatives of several parties, as well as by Alliance F and Travail.Suisse. For the young adults concerned, the essential distinction is simple: the 18 weeks per parent is a proposal, while the maternity and other parent leave described by ch.ch falls under rights currently provided at the federal level.
Source: Le Temps: Children & Parenting
Original article: See the original source
