Financial Support

Unemployment Compensation – What Steps Should I Take?

Do you live in the Canton of Basel-Stadt and have you lost your job?
Your entitlement to unemployment compensation will be clarified once you have registered with the RAV and the unemployment fund.

If you meet all the conditions of entitlement, then you are entitled to a daily unemployment allowance.

Note: It is only through your cooperation in helping us obtain the necessary documents and information that enables us to make your payments in time.

The most important steps in signing up with the public unemployment fund:

  1. After you have registered yourself as unemployed you will receive various documents. You can choose between the public unemployment insurance fund and other funds.
  2. We would be pleased if you chose to take up the public unemployment insurance funde option. You can submit your request with the relevant documents by email in a PDF format, by post or personally. At the counters on the 2nd floor at Hochstrasse 37 we will verify the request with you. We aim to pay what you are entitled to as quickly as possible on a regular basis.

You don't need to make an appointment by telephone.
Our office opening times are Monday to Friday, 08:00 a.m - 11:30 a.m. and 01:30 p.m. - 04:30 p.m.

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Unemployment Fund

The purpose of the unemployment fund is to support people who have fallen victim to temporary financial hardship due to their unemployment. Mostly it involves further daily sickness benefits (depending on what is being paid out from the unemployment fund).

Would you like to submit an application?

Contact

After the preliminary investigation has been completed, you will receive the relevant application form by post. A commission of the Governing Council of the Canton Basel-Stadt passes their decision on the applications submitted every month.

Note: There is no legal entitlement to benefits from the unemployment fund.

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Insolvency Compensation

If an employer is insolvent and cannot pay the wages of its employees, then the unemployment insurance, under certain conditions, can cover the wage claims for the work rendered by these employees during the last four months before the employer’s bankruptcy.

Are you an employee of a company that has fallen into bankruptcy?
You can apply for your insolvency compensation with this application form (in German only).

Important

The insolvency compensation can only be paid through the public unemployment fund of the canton in which the employer has their place of residence or business at the time of the bankruptcy.
The claim for compensation must be made to the fund no later than 60 days after the publication of the bankruptcy in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce.
Swiss Official Trade Journal

Tip

According to the legal provisions, you have what is known as a "duty to mitigate losses". This means that if you are claiming for unpaid wages from your employer, you must take action as early as possible in a clear and unequivocal manner (written reminder, enforcement, etc.). Without this form of approach, you can lose your right to insolvency compensation.

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Promotion of Self-Employment (FsE)

With the labour market measure "FsE", unemployment insurance can assist unemployed individuals who are insured with a daily allowance to help them become self-employed (during the planning and preparation phase) - to facilitate starting up their own business. It only supports the first phase, from the idea to the actual target. To find out everything you need to know read our brochure "Taking the plunge to becoming self-employed".

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