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With the expansion of the AHV and the rejection of the retirement age increase, the pressure to reform the AHV is increasing. A topic that could come back up is the issue of differentiated retirement ages, the so-called working life.
Those who start working earlier should retire earlier – that is the idea of working life. In Switzerland today this averages around 42 years. An example: At the age of 16, a construction worker begins an apprenticeship. If he worked for 42 years, he would reach retirement age at 58. A doctor is different; she starts working at the age of 26, only after completing her studies. After 42 years of work, she would not retire until the age of 68. The retirement age would thus be linked to education.
The employers’ association finds this a good alternative to a higher retirement age. “A lifetime working period would certainly be a fair, just solution because everyone should basically work the same amount of time and you really link it to the person, depending on when they start working,” says Barbara Zimmermann-Gerster, head of social policy at the Swiss Employers’ Association. In addition, AHV income would become more predictable because we would know exactly how long everyone works and pays in.
The National Council approved the proposal
In France, early retirement has been in place since last year. For example, anyone who was employed before the age of 18 can retire at 60 – four years before the statutory retirement age of 64. In other countries, working life is being discussed. In Switzerland, the National Council approved a proposal for this as the first piece of advice last spring.
The people have clearly said that the retirement age should remain 65.
The unions see the maximum working life for people who started working early. “The models that are now being discussed are interesting, if you can also discuss early retirement solutions with them, we are open to that,” says Travail Suisse President Adrian Wüthrich. “But when it comes to having additional savings measures now, we are certainly not in favor of it. The people have clearly said that the retirement age should remain at 65.”
We want to rethink retirement age.
“Just saving money or pushing through something, that would certainly not be our intention,” says Barbara Zimmermann-Gerster. “The point is that we simply want to work for a lifetime and that we want to rethink the retirement age.”
The model will once again cause intensive discussions
Employers and employee representatives agree that the problem lies in the details. The model has its pitfalls, says trade unionist Wüthrich. “You have to define who has enough years of contributions and when and what is a year of contributions that would count enough so that you could retire a year earlier. This needs to be discussed carefully,” says Adrian Wüthrich.
It should also be discussed whether and how care for children, parents in need of care or further training would be taken into account. Lifetime working time – a model that is now causing intensive discussions again after the acceptance of the 13th AHV pension.