Hi,
A Colleague of mine would like to setup his own business and some one told him that later he can't register with "Arbeitslos" (if he closes the company) unless he works for some years after he deregisters his own company?

how true is this?

Hang tight for the replies

ok, I found something here and actually it is true with few exceptions

Source:
http://www.awa.zh.ch/internet/volksw...sicherung.html

Unemployment insurance is only for employed people. If one runs a one-man-show (Einzelunternehmen) then you do no have to pay any insurance premium. On the flip side, you have no unemployment benefits. Generally an employee is eligible when premiums have been paid for 1 year in the past 2 years. If one runs a limited company (GmbH/AG) and is an employee, there are restrictions here, as long as the company has not been liquidated.

So does setting up a company make you ineligible for unemployment insurance? Not necessarily, if one has paid insurance premiums for at least a year within the past 2 years.

Could you clarify a bit? So if you are on the RAV and, say, start a GmbH, can you still receive unemployment benefits while a) you set up the company, and b) during the first year as you begin the business? At what point would the RAV benefits ends, if you set up a GmbH or AG?

it can be possible for approx 3 months if you setup by yourself as an alternative to unemployment, so the RAV would see you as inventing your own job.

Thanks! What if the GmbH isn't generating income yet? The RAV still doesn't pay, even though I've paid into it? So RAV benefits only last 3 months after date of incorporation?

Well, I am afraid it's widely true with some small exceptions. A perfect example why Switzerland isn't a start-up country... people are risk averse and the government actually gives them reasons to take a salary instead of trying on their own.

Starting a business needs a different approach than thinking about failing...!

RAV benefits stop the moment the business starts trading. The RAV payments are for the set up period only.

Thanks! By "business starts trading", you mean date of incorporation? Also, what if it's a side business? Not primary job? Still no RAV?

Open to do business, the RAV will pay for the planning stage only, they will not help when you are 'working'.

Once you become an officer of an incorporated company, the company must pay you. Your no longer looking for a job, you have found one!