well I would qualify then wouldnt I if I have paid 12 contributions over the last 24 months? But how would they calculate my salary if I had not been receiving one for the last 12 months? Would they take the salary that I was on before i.e when I started my unpaid leave? Will my 5 months salary that I would get if they did make me redundant next year count??

You should definitely go to the RAV now if you are already asking these questions ie you expect to be out of a job soon. I went when I was unofficially told I would be made redundant and got the ball rolling.

All your questions on what happens next / how much you will get will be answered in the documentation the RAV will give you, but if you are unable to show you've been looking for work your question as to salary will be moot as you'll not be eligible for any payments.

The other advantage of having going now to the RAV is that you'll be assigned a contact and s/he should be able to answer all your questions, including the one(s) you've posted here if you can't find the answer in the documentation.

Hope this helps

is RAV my local caisse de chomage office or something else? I had been told that they are not interested in talking to you unless you have actually lost your job or have resigned i.e that you have to wait until this actually happens. can anyone confirm and can anyone actually back up what Lucy said about that it is 12 contributions within 24 months so why am I being told that if I have had unpaid leave for 12 months I would not qualify!! confused

Yes go to your pertinent ORP/RAV.

The documents they want to see (in French)
http://www.espace-emploi.ch/arbeitslos/anmeldung/

The booklet
http://www.espace-emploi.ch/dateien/...eitslos_fr.pdf