National Guidelines in Switzerland - Occupational Situation

Instructions du Conseil fédéral concernant l’amélioration de la représentation et de la situation professionnelle du personnelle féminin de l’administration générale de la Confédération, 18 December 1991

Among various topics, the Instructions Concerning the Improvement in the Representation and Occupational Situation of Female Staff in the General Administration in Switzerland, adopted by the Federal Council, deal with nominations, promotions, representation, education and part-time work. Women candidates with equal qualifications to that of men for a particular post must be given preference while they are under-represented in the administration (paragraph 31). The aim is to reach parity in all large administrative units. It was also decided to examine whether the functions of secretarial staff (essentially exercised by women) are under-valued.

Every federal office, general secretary, research centre and enterprise of the administration must put in place programmes to promote women, which are renewable every four years (paragraph 91.1). At the end of each period, the Federal Office of Personnel (through the Office for the Status of Women, the central body in charge of the promotion of women) reports to the Federal Council on the successes and obstacles encountered. The Federal Office of Personnel furnishes the other offices with support in the following domains: advice and education provided by the Office for the Status of Women, project of education of the secretariat personnel, courses for women and courses on equality of opportunities, adaptation of the prescriptions regarding promotions and tailor-made working hours.

In 1996, 60% of the Offices had started programmes concerning equal rights between men and women (see, for instance, the Programme for Equality of the Federal Veterinary Office and of the Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis). They emphasized classical measures of promotion of personnel: training, part-time work and career interviews. Eighty percent of the federal offices had created a working group or nominated a person (the delegate for equality) to deal with questions of equality. They have cooperated and helped each other in their tasks (e.g. during the annual "Réunion générale des délégué(e)s à l’égalité des offices fédéraux") and have received the support of the Office for the Status of Women of the Federal Office of Personnel and of the coordinators of the general secretaries. An offer of continuous training was also put into place for the person responsible for equality in every unit. The main functions of these delegates are the following: the elaboration of programmes, the support of hierarchically responsible persons and of personnel services of his/her offices during the implementation of the programme, the supervision of the application and the granting of individual advice to collaborators.

Moreover, the Federal Office of Personnel organized in 1995 a seminar on sexual harassment. Also in 1995, the Office launched a pilot-project concerning a programme of career development. The idea was to create pairs of collaborators (a woman and her superior) for practical teaching and cooperation.