Zurich pays almost seven million for resigners
The election of a headmaster in Zurich made national headlines last summer: because the elected SP man Roberto Rodriguez (56) was also president of the school board – the body that appoints the headmaster. The accusation of cousin economy came up quickly.
What caused even more excitement, however, was that Rodriguez received a generous severance payment at the same time – because he had to give up the office of school president for the post of headmaster. Rodriguez pocketed a whopping 650,000 francs, he reported “Daily Gazette” back then.
20 officials fees 6.7 million Swiss francs
Rodriguez’s parachute was even more golden, as Blick can show: he received exactly 687,131 francs. This emerges from a list that Blick requested from the city of Zurich based on the Public Information Act.
The document also shows the full extent of the Limmat city’s generous compensation regime: Zurich paid a gigantic CHF 6,680,851 between January 1, 2006 and August 3, 2021 to ceded or deselected members of the authorities. The total is even larger: one person lodged a complaint against the release of the data and WILL NOT be included.
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On the list of 20 names, Rodriguez only ranked third. Former city councilor Claudia Nielsen (60) received CHF 856,657 after she announced her leadership in 2018 under massive criticism a month before the renewal elections. Eight of the names on the list are former city councillors, from Monika Stocker (73, Green) to Gerold Lauber (65, Centre).
900,000 francs for eight years of guardianship
However, no ex-member of the city government occupies the top spot. Peter L.* (64) received a whopping 905,246 francs. L., who does not wish to be named for reasons of personal security, served from 2004 to 2012 as a member of the Guardianship Authority, the predecessor organization of the Child and Adult Protection Authority (Kesb). His severance pay was equivalent to 4.8 years’ salary — the absolute maximum allowed by the city.
Almost one million francs – a real chunk! L. himself does not want to comment on the sum. One thing is clear: His compensation is so high, among other things, because L. is the only one who left the service involuntarily.
Thanks to the party book for the golden parachute?
It happened like this: With the replacement of the guardianship authority by the Kesb, the election procedure was also changed. Until then, the municipal council had elected the members of the authority – according to party representation. L. appears as a candidate for the SVP. But the Kesb should no longer be filled according to the party book, but according to professional criteria – by the city government. Or, as L’s lawyer writes, “in the city of Zurich, as is well known, with a clear majority in favor of red-green”.
The departure was “due to certain tensions, which were caused by a political power game and had nothing to do with the skills or performance and behavior of my client”. In plain language: L. with an SVP party book was not acceptable to the left-wing government. The city of Zurich does not want to comment on the case with an appeal for personnel law reasons.
Zurich goes beyond the books
The fact is, however, that L. did not leave office voluntarily, but negotiated with the city about a severance payment and other “all claims to which he was entitled,” according to his lawyer. “So it finally came to a six-digit total.”
Such golden parachutes are now even going too far for the city of Zurich. She is currently in the process of adjusting her regulations. Instead of a maximum of 4.8 annual wages, members of the city government, school authorities and other officials should “only” have 2.8 annual wages. This was initiated by two SVP municipal councillors.
* Name known to editors
Zurich is particularly generous
The city of Zurich is generous when it comes to severance payments – for now. A change to the regulations is currently in progress. There should be less money. Anyone who leaves office voluntarily after four to seven years should receive a maximum of one year’s salary. So far, the maximum is 1.6 annual wages.
The differences will be greatest for long-standing members of the authorities who are being voted out. The maximum today is 4.8 annual wages if the person has been in office for more than eight years and is 55 years old at the time of resignation. This is to be reduced to 2.8 annual wages.
who is entitled
Members of the city government, the ombudsperson, the data protection officer, justices of the peace and the presidents of the district school authorities are entitled to a golden parachute.
Severance pay is not only known in Limmatstadt. Five years ago, the parachute for the former urban developer Thomas Kessler (61) made headlines in Basel. He is said to have received two annual wages, a little more than 400,000 francs. However, the compensation is not common.
Alternate Retirement
The city of Bern knows severance payments or pensions for members of the city government. Here, too, considerable sums can be accumulated. The maximum pension is 60 percent of the basic annual salary. Those who are 55 or older and who have served at least twelve years in office are not eligible for re-election or resign. However, the entitlement to a pension expires when you reach retirement age. Other earned income must be taken into account.
The regulation for old Federal Councilors is very similar: they receive a pension of half their salary, i.e. around CHF 220,000, if they do not pursue any other lucrative activity after their resignation. (sf)
The city of Zurich is generous when it comes to severance payments – for now. A change to the regulations is currently in progress. There should be less money. Anyone who leaves office voluntarily after four to seven years should receive a maximum of one year’s salary. So far, the maximum is 1.6 annual wages.
The differences will be greatest in the case of long-standing members of the authorities who are being voted out. The maximum today is 4.8 annual wages if the person has been in office for more than eight years and is 55 years old at the time of resignation. This is to be reduced to 2.8 annual wages.
who is entitled
Members of the city government, the ombudsperson, the data protection officer, justices of the peace and the presidents of the district school authorities are entitled to a golden parachute.
Severance pay is not only known in Limmatstadt. Five years ago, the parachute for the former urban developer Thomas Kessler (61) made headlines in Basel. He is said to have received two annual wages, a little more than 400,000 francs. However, the compensation is not common.
Alternate Retirement
The city of Bern knows severance payments or pensions for members of the city government. Here, too, considerable sums can be accumulated. The maximum pension is 60 percent of the basic annual salary. Those who are 55 or older and who have served at least twelve years in office are not eligible for re-election or resign. However, the entitlement to a pension expires when you reach retirement age. Other earned income must be taken into account.
The regulation for old Federal Councilors is very similar: they receive a pension of half their salary, i.e. around CHF 220,000, if they do not pursue any other lucrative activity after their resignation. (sf)