Governance of unemployment insurance

Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

Key facts

A suspected case of corruption at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) made the headlines in 2014. An administrative investigation was immediately initiated. In addition, SECO immediately filed criminal charges against the persons responsible. The Finance Delegation of the Federal Assembly (FinDel) suggested fundamentally adapting the organisation of the Unemployment Insurance Compensation Office: it should either be integrated in SECO or fully outsourced from the Federal Administration. Various possible new organisation models for the Compensation Office were examined. The Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) did not follow FinDel’s recommendation and in 2015 only adapted the organisation as much as necessary. The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) can understand this decision but sees scope for improvements.