When someone negotiates a 60% or 80% contract in Switzerland, they usually think in simple terms: fewer hours, less salary, more free time. What almost no one explains to you is that this pension percentage has direct consequences on the pension, accident insurance and coverage in case of unemployment, and that some of these consequences are permanent.
The second pillar, the pension fund (LPP), has a mandatory access threshold. In 2026, only those who earn more than 22,680 francs per year with the same employer are compulsorily insured. A 30% or 40% contract in an average salary sector can easily fall below that threshold, which means that those years of work do not accumulate anything in the second pillar. The LPP reform that would have lowered that threshold was rejected in a referendum in September 2024, so the situation has not changed. This situation disproportionately affects women, who most often work part-time in Switzerland.
Non-professional accident insurance is another point that goes unnoticed. If you work less than eight hours a week for the same employer, that employer is not required to cover your accidents outside of work. In the event of a fracture on a ski slope or on a bicycle on a weekend, the LAMal covers the medical costs, but the SUVA does not intervene. Those who work at a very low percentage or combine several mini-jobs may find themselves without that coverage for each of them.
In terms of unemployment, compensation is calculated in proportion to the salary received. If you lost a job at 50%, unemployment is based on that 50%. If you have several part-time jobs and lose one, only that part is considered. None of this is a reason to reject a partial contract, but it is information that is advisable to have before signing, not after losing your job.