MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –
Source: Switzerland – Canton Government of Geneva in French
The Council of State adopted the regulations implementing the law on social assistance and the fight against precariousness, voted by the Grand Council on June 23, 2023 (see also weekly press release of May 4, 2022). This will come into force on January 1, 2025, repealing the current law on integration and individual social assistance (LIASI), whose reform was one of the priorities of the legislative program 2018-2023. This new legislation should allow the people concerned to manage their budget more independently and to benefit from personalized and targeted social support with the aim of regaining their financial independence in a lasting manner.
In the meantime, the implementation of this reform must be clarified by regulatory standards. The adoption of the implementing regulations (RASLP) allows the General Hospice to make the necessary IT adaptations, but also to prepare and train employees for the fundamental changes provided for by law.
Concretely and essentially, the RASLP sets the conditions and the method of calculating financial assistance benefits. In this context, it specifies the amounts relating to basic needs, while integrating the new features desired by the reform:
the monthly flat rate for maintenance, which was increased on January 1, 2024 to 1,031 francs for one person, in accordance with the recommendations of the Swiss Conference of Social Action Institutions (CSIAS), is included. The family coefficient for the 4th and 5th person is increased, to better take into account the needs of children; the integration package will now be granted automatically to all people benefiting from financial assistance benefits; the amounts relating to the rent limits, which were increased with effect from January 1, 2024, are included in the RASLP; certain circumstantial services, today reimbursed on invoice (administrative costs and certain insurance premiums; costs linked to the activities of minor children) are flat rate and fixed by the RASLP.
Furthermore, the new franchise model on income from gainful activity is designed to strengthen the incentive to take up employment by financially valuing low work rates. A similar mechanism is planned for young people in apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship. For people carrying out an independent activity, new provisions have also been introduced in order to promote secondary activity and adapt social support to the needs of individual situations.
With regard to housing, adaptations have been made in order to avoid evacuations and facilitate access to housing for people receiving social assistance, particularly in terms of covering rent arrears and rental guarantee insurance.
Finally, the chapter relating to professional integration describes the missions and organization of the General Hospice in terms of professional integration as well as the collaboration with the cantonal employment office (OCE) and the office for orientation, vocational and continuing training (OFPC) with the aim of improving the employability of the people followed. This chapter also introduces new provisions concerning the payment of training and professional retraining costs adapted to the specific needs of people on social assistance.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
