Accident protection also applies in the event of a corona crisis. Such a crisis is affecting more and more employees: due to suspected cases or cases of illness, various companies are sending more and more symptom-free employees into quarantine or self-isolation is recommended. In this case, the employer continues to owe the salary because of the legal obligation to continue paying wages. However, there may be exceptions, e.g. if persons have been in risk areas or a risk environment on their own initiative.

A supreme court ruling is currently still lacking in this regard. Due to the official restrictions on public life and private events or impaired value chains, more and more companies are also confronted with financial losses. For this purpose, the federal government provides for short-time work compensation. In any case, those who fall ill receive either the legally prescribed continued payment of wages from their employer or, if they have daily sickness benefits insurance, the corresponding daily allowance.

Employees are therefore well protected against the corona virus under employment law. Self-employed persons without daily sickness benefits insurance, on the other hand, do not receive continued salary payments and cannot apply for short-time working.

Corona crisis should not be an excuse for higher health insurance premiums

Until last week, the Federal Council and the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), as well as the cantonal authorities, did almost everything right. Only the Federal Council's decision that health insurers must pay for the Corona tests is wrong. However, in view of a reserve cushion of 8 billion francs, the warning by the health insurance association santésuisse that the Corona pandemic would lead to an extra premium increase is untenable.
Felix Schneuwly, Comparis health expert

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The worst is yet to come for the global economy

Viewed through economic glasses, the question arises: What is more expensive? To more or less let the corona virus take its course or to try to contain it with drastic measures - keyword lockdowns. Policymakers have opted for the latter, bringing the global economy, already battered before the Corona pandemic, to its knees. The consequences: Supply stalls as supply chains are partially disrupted. At the same time, there is a drop in demand. Events are cancelled en masse, travel comes to a virtual standstill and consumers hold back on investments. They are building reserves for an uncertain future.

This synchronous supply and demand shock must not be allowed to last too long, otherwise companies will slide into liquidity problems and ultimately bankruptcy. The impending crisis in the real economy would then spill over into the financial sector. The banks would be threatened with serious loan defaults. It is currently the task of politicians and central banks to deal with this danger. With aid packages worth billions, temporary tax cuts, even lower interest rates and cash gifts to the population - as in the case of Hong Kong - the global economic crisis is still to be averted.

Low interest rates make the situation even more favourable for mortgage borrowers. They can take out long-term debt at record low interest rates. In individual cases, banks even issue mortgages at negative interest rates. However: If the recession cannot be transformed into a growth phase in the foreseeable future, high unemployment figures are imminent. Those who are permanently out of work will no longer be able to pay mortgage interest, let alone buy their own home. Against this backdrop, significant losses in value on real estate are becoming more likely. Those who would suffer most would be owners of highly mortgaged and valued properties.

The gloomy clouds on the horizon are the harbingers of a storm whose length and intensity are difficult to estimate. But the storm will be followed by more pleasant days. There is therefore no reason why the global economy should not subsequently get back on its feet.
Fréderic Papp, Comparis financial expert
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Home office is technically no problem in most cases today

Already in the last few days, a number of companies have sent their employees into the home office. In times like these, it becomes apparent that those companies that already have a decentralized technical infrastructure are at an advantage. One example is that some IT departments are now desperately trying to organise laptops for their employees because they otherwise work on desktop PCs in the office. Companies that have already migrated their data and applications to cloud solutions in the past also have an advantage.

For some time, video conferencing instead of face-to-face meetings will become the norm. It helps that organizing such virtual gatherings is easy. Many commonly used tools have corresponding options on board - from the popular Slack to the top dog Microsoft and its Office landscape. This will make it easier to ensure that teams and colleagues don't lose sight of each other - literally. It also helps that the vast majority of laptops today have integrated cameras or that there are inexpensive and good webcams that you simply connect via USB and plug into the monitor.

There is no need to worry about available transmission capacity in Switzerland. Even if a large part of the working life happens via video conferencing, the bandwidths are sufficient. In comparison, the popular video streaming services like Netflix need much higher bandwidths. In this respect, it is better for the infrastructure if everyone is in video conferences than if they are watching Netflix.

The vast majority of people should be well equipped for working from home. The bandwidths offered by the providers are sufficient even in the smaller packages. And for those who don't have Internet via a line, appropriate mobile phone subscriptions, for example from Yallo or Sunrise, give them the option of setting up a WLAN in the house or apartment.
Jean-Claude Frick, Comparis digital expert

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