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Swiss companies must pay share of rent for employees working from home

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Re: Swiss companies must pay share of rent for employees working from home

#171

Post by em-bee »

forgingahead wrote: post #112

This seems very distortionary to the market. So if you're a blue-collar worker, your ability to pay for housing is "less" compared with a similarly-aged white-collar worker just because the latter has his company subsidise his rent.

if you work from home you need extra space which you don't need otherwise. the winners are those that are able to make use of that extra space outside of work.

i have an office at home that is not used outdide work. if i didn't work at home i could save money with a smaller apartment. seems only fair that my company pays that difference

Re: Swiss companies must pay share of rent for employees working from home

#172

Post by tilolebo »

Interesting ruling, it kind of makes sense but I'm not sure that's the best solution.

In Germany you can save up to 1250 EUR / year in your tax declaration if you have a dedicated work room, but the conditions are quite strict.

I don't know if all remote workers can benefit from it, but if that's not the case I hope Germany will adapt the law. Considering the benefits from an ecological point of view, I think it makes sense that the state also contributes to it.

Not sure if the automotive industry would agree, though...

Re: Swiss companies must pay share of rent for employees working from home

#173

Post by Hokusai »

CaptainZapp wrote: post #130
antr wrote: post #20

Thought: - Companies that now realised that remote schemes works for them, will push for that scheme to remain, with the aim of reducing their fixed costs (office rent, utilities, insurance, etc). - This eliminates a big chunk of fixed costs... as most are shifted to the employees. - If authorities/employees start demanding that part of those costs are covered by the company, companies will push to get avoid work-fro…

> I'm sure that there are other unintended consequences, such as higher rents, but who knows. That's not that easy. While Switzerland doesn't do rent control per se and there can be regional differences depending on scarcity of real estate for rent a landlord is rather restricted in raising rent once a contract is signed. The only reasons why a rent can be raised are: - Additional investments into an apartment, but t…

> My ethical compass would feel it's wrong to squeeze additional benefits from an arrangement

I have seen others thinking like that, and then become very sore when they are fired in an economic downturn. They feel that "it is not fair" because they did as much as they could for their company, the company did not care.

Is that different in Switzerland? Has it a similar culture to Japan where firing an employee is the last resource? Or is it more like other European countries were a simple merge or a decline in share value increase the possibility of being laid off?

> So there's always a threat of losing your job if you try to push it.

That is true for everything. Are you aiming on being always the cheaper employee in your company? That is an strategy that may work when there is lay offs, but I do not know much wealth you will accumulate in the long term with that strategy instead of trying to maximize your salary/benefits.

I know that your attitude reduces salaries and reduces my and any other developer salary expectations, so maybe that makes me be extra doubtful of how good is your strategy for all the rest of us (or yourself).

If you do not care for your well-being but you are willing to do sacrifices for your company, may I ask what sector your company works in? Maybe, is it an NGO?

Re: Swiss companies must pay share of rent for employees working from home

#174

Post by derefr »

hnra wrote: post #117
manigandham wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What cost? If anything the employee now saves time and money from the commute alone.

Creating an office at home? For a lot of people, making your home a viable working space is very expensive. It may even require the worker to purchase a home or apartment with an extra room.

Imagine if you will: a condo building that's designed as a mixed residential/commercial space, where there are apartment units, and office units that are free-to-use for anyone with an apartment there. And the office units are pre-furnished.

Re: Swiss companies must pay share of rent for employees working from home

#175

Post by tnli »

rbreve wrote: post #12

In Finland people who work from home and bought anything needed to work, for example a desk, chair, display or headphones, they get a tax refund.

You don’t get a tax refund, but your taxable income is reduced by the expense amount, so you you’re still paying for the 100% - (your marginal tax rate)% of the items, and hence paying yourself for items that your employer would have provided for your work use for free if you would work in an office instead.

I do feel too that the employer should provide the equipment and working environment.

Re: Swiss companies must pay share of rent for employees working from home

#176

Post by oedmarap »

dependenttypes wrote: post #8

I don't get it. Why should someone working from home make more money than someone who does not?

I'm also puzzled, since in my view the workplace gives a certain equity to job satisfaction and most of all, productivity.

For example, some people are not living in an ideal "work" environment — smaller spaces, no air-conditioning, pets/children, noisy streets/neighborhoods, etc.

In my opinion workplaces provide a stable environment that negates the above-mentioned constraints and also encourages interpersonal contact; both of which (barring the current pandemic that necessitates WFH) would give a better median ROI across the workforce.

Re: Swiss companies must pay share of rent for employees working from home

#177

Post by cheez »

tilolebo wrote: post #172

Interesting ruling, it kind of makes sense but I'm not sure that's the best solution. In Germany you can save up to 1250 EUR / year in your tax declaration if you have a dedicated work room, but the conditions are quite strict. I don't know if all remote workers can benefit from it, but if that's not the case I hope Germany will adapt the law. Considering the benefits from an ecological point of view, I think it make…

Yeah, this is the simplest solution....

Re: Swiss companies must pay share of rent for employees working from home

#178

Post by mattrp »

thetopher wrote: post #111
sdfx wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A trend that started already in a lot of companies a couple of years ago and will only be accelerated by Covid. Many places do overbook desks in offices right now and have flex-tables without fixed assigned workers. Seems fair to think about compensating employees for the costs that are being pushed to their side.

As a non-remote employee, I had to find housing near my office. Now, as a remote employee, my only real requirements are a power source and internet connection. Sure, I have to live somewhere, but that need isn’t a result of my employment. It seems that non-remote employees have more specific and expensive housing requirements and costs.

I agree that it delves into the realm of triviality that’s not worth the costs of developing the policy and enforcing it.

Re: Swiss companies must pay share of rent for employees working from home

#179

Post by nickik »

antr wrote: post #20

Thought: - Companies that now realised that remote schemes works for them, will push for that scheme to remain, with the aim of reducing their fixed costs (office rent, utilities, insurance, etc). - This eliminates a big chunk of fixed costs... as most are shifted to the employees. - If authorities/employees start demanding that part of those costs are covered by the company, companies will push to get avoid work-fro…

Your making this a bigger deal then it is. As a company you have quite good control and knowledge over that cost.

If I want a new desk and have the company pay for it, I can just come with a 10k bill.

The company can lay out a bunch of avg prices for certain things and that's that.

It not like everybody has some unique equipment. I basically need a chair, a desk, a laptop and maybe a monitor. Those cost are easy controlled.

Expense systems are already in place for basically all companies as well.

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