Immediate measures and important links for the corona crisis

Become active yourself: Get involved with the simple emergency aid measures we have put together so that you can maintain your company's liquidity and ability to act as long as possible. See also the "Measures to cushion the economic consequences of the coronavirus in the cultural sector" from the Federal Office of Culture.

Communication: Maintain open communication with your partners, suppliers and creditors, we are all in the same boat. They are often willing to make individual solutions and pay by instalments. 

Debt collection: Charge for services rendered immediately. Talk to your customers if necessary. Insist on payment terms, especially with large corporations, and demand solidarity.

Invoices: Pay the small bills (up to CHF 500.00) first, the medium bills (up to CHF 5'000.00) one month later and for the large bills, contact the creditors to discuss the instalments.

Government charges: Federal, cantonal and communal debt collection agencies are encouraged to be generous in their collection of government charges (e.g. VAT taxes, payments on account to the compensation fund and electricity bills). Demand an extension of the payment deadline or arrange for payment in instalments. These are currently deferred without interest on arrears.

Rent: Contact your landlord. Ask for a temporary rent reduction or a rent remission. In the case of legally prescribed closures, there is the possibility of a "full rent reduction" (sample letter from the landlord association - to adapt to your needs). 

Leasing contracts: Talk to the leasing company and reduce the monthly instalments. Then sign the contract again and extend the term so that the reduced amount is simply paid later.

Insurance premiums: Ask for a discount or an extension of the payment period if you have not yet paid the annual premium.

Canceled events/trade fairs: See if you can claim a refund.

Bank: Talk to your bank and ask for a goal-oriented solution to bridge the liquidity gap. The Confederation guarantees loans up to CHF 500,000, the bank speaks directly to the money. This is considered a short-term liquidity bridge, the details (interest) will follow on Wednesday, 25.3.2020.

Short-time work: If you employ employees and can prove that they are not available, it is better to apply for short-time work earlier rather than later. Find out more here and from the cantonal offices responsible for business and employment. According to the federal press conference of 20.3.2020 and enquiries on the SECO hotline, persons similar to employers and shareholders of limited liability companies and public limited companies can also apply for short-time working with immediate effect if they are affected by the measures relating to the corona virus.

Social assistance: Self-employed persons (sole proprietorships) can apply for social assistance in a straightforward manner. Contact the social centre in your community. This is regulated by the income compensation regulations and is capped at a maximum daily rate of CHF 196 and limited to 30 days.

Document your losses: What loss of income do you have to cope with and why? Are they related to the coronavirus and why? This information may become necessary at a later date so that you can quickly submit an application.

Think about tomorrow: What investments are necessary now so that you can get back on track after the crisis. Prioritise these investments. Again, suppliers and partners are often willing to work with you to find solutions. Learn new competencies and share your competencies generously with others in your environment.

Seco has set up an information line and keeps you informed of new decisions.

You can find the federal press release of 20.3.2020 here, it already contains some explanations of the above-mentioned points. 

Use the crisis as an opportunity. What have you always wanted to do and never had the time? With whom have you wanted to initiate a joint project for a long time? We believe in the strength of the creative industries.

 Please note that new measures are constantly being developed by the federal government, cantons and municipalities. This information is subject to change and includes the latest information from the federal press conference on 20.3.2020, which has not yet been fully elaborated. Please contact the relevant offices for further information.

ProHelvetia: Info hub Covid-19

BAK: Massnahmen zur Abfederung der wirtschaftlichen Folgen des Coronavirus im Kultursektor (in German)

SECO: Was Unternehmen wissen müssen (in German)

Venturelab: How to run a startup in times of Coronavirus

SICTIC: Swiss Startup Coronavirus Survival Cheat Sheet

Innovaud: Coronavirus et mesures de confinement: Guide pour les entreprises vaudoise (in French)