Social security

Orchestras

The social protection of orchestral musicians is of great value in the 12 collective labour agreements (CLA). Good conditions are guaranteed in the event of retirement, illness or accident. In addition, individual negotiations are regularly held with employers in difficult cases of illness, accident or early retirement.

 

Reduced insurance rates thanks to collective agreements

SMV-USDAM has signed various collective agreements in order to offer preferential rates to musicians for health, daily allowance, accident and instrument insurance.

 

Maternity

During pregnancy and the subsequent period, relief or accommodation measures are granted, as required. The brochure of the SECO Secretariat for Economic Affairs provides all the information on the application of these measures.

 

Occupational pension scheme (BVG) for intermittent workers

Through affiliation to the pension funds Pensionskasse Musik und Bildung and CAST Charles Apothéloz-Stiftung, SMV-USDAM also offers intermittent members the possibility of building a second pillar adapted to their personal situation, which usually includes several employers and/or independent sources of income.

 

Insurances and pension provision for intermittent and/or self-employed musicians

Musicians practice their profession in very different ways. The insurances and retirement benefits they are entitled to depend on whether they are self-employed or employed. Swiss social insurance law mainly provides for measures concerning employees.

 

About social security law for musicians

Organisers who employ musicians are regularly faced with the question of whether or not they should deduct AHV contributions. The answer to this question always depends on the nature of the employment. In general, a distinction must be made between a self-employed activity and a dependent activity.

In the case of employment in an orchestra, this is always an employed activity and therefore dependent.

Full information on the distinction between self-employment and employment can be found here:

Since 1 January 2010, even the lowest salaries of artists are subject to AHV/IV/EO contributions.
* More information below

 

Support for members in difficulty

SMV-USDAM members who find themselves in difficulty can confidently turn to the Schweizerische Stiftung für die Förderung und Unterstützung von Berufsmusikerinnen und Berufsmusikern (in short: SMV-USDAM Foundation) or to the social fund of Suisseculture Sociale.

 

* Since 1 January 2010, artists’ salaries, even the lowest, are subject to AHV/IV/EO contributions.

In order to strengthen the social security of artists, the Federal Council has decided that employers in the cultural sector must systematically pay AHV/IV/EO contributions for all salaries, even the lowest. In addition, unemployment insurance contributions are also due. This measure has already been applied for activities in private households.
In principle, earnings up to CHF 2,300 per year per employer are exempt from AHV/IV/EO tax. However, this disadvantages employees with atypical working conditions who regularly work short hours with wages below the threshold. Such salaries were subsequently not included in the pension calculation.
For this reason, from 1 January 2010, the systematic obligation to pay AHV/IV/EO contributions for all salaries, even the lowest ones, came into force in the cultural sector.
The following employers are affected: dance and theatre producers, orchestras, sound and audiovisual producers, radio and television producers as well as schools in the arts. (Schools in the arts are all public and private training institutions whose main purpose is training and further training in the arts. These include art colleges, art schools, art academies, music, dance and theatre schools, video and film schools, literary academies).
This means that a musician has more rights to AHV/IV/EO contributions if he or she works for one of the above-mentioned employers, irrespective of the level of income and without having to apply for them.
Please inform your employer of this legal basis if he is not prepared to pay AHV contributions to you.