Unemployment fund not paying? Your right to a daily allowance advance under Art. 29 AVIG

It is every job seeker's nightmare in Switzerland: You have properly registered with the RAV and the unemployment fund (ALK), filled out forms, and submitted applications. Yet, after two, three, or even four months, your bank account remains completely empty.

There is no response to emails, the phone lines of the fund are constantly busy, and when mail finally arrives, it just says: “Documents are still missing”.

The fact that this is not an isolated case is shown by recent discussions in Swiss community forums like the Facebook group “Du bisch vo Chur wenn...” with over 11,000 members:

Those affected report waiting for months since February or May – partly due to acute staff shortages, massive piles of paperwork, and complex IT system migrations for payment processing.

However, what very few people know: Nobody in Switzerland has to endure months without money. The Unemployment Insurance Act (AVIG) provides a clear protection mechanism for precisely this situation.

1. The most common misconception: RAV vs. Unemployment Fund

Before taking action, you need to understand the division of tasks in the Swiss system:

• The RAV (Regional Employment Center): The advisors at the RAV are exclusively responsible for your professional reintegration, courses, and the monthly verification of your job search efforts. The RAV has no cash office and does not pay out any money.
• The Unemployment Fund (ALK): Whether it is a cantonal fund (such as ALK Graubünden) or union funds (e.g., Unia, Syna) – only the fund verifies your contribution period and transfers your monthly daily allowances.

If no money arrives, arguing with your RAV advisor will not help – your point of contact is always directly the unemployment fund!

2. Your legal lifeline: Art. 29 AVIG (Advance Payment)

If the fund cannot process your file in time, you are not left without rights. Article 29 of the Unemployment Insurance Act (AVIG) specifies unequivocally:

Art. 29 AVIG – Advance Payments:
“If entitlement to benefits is not established beyond doubt, but the insurer's liability for benefits or compensation is fundamentally recognized, the fund may make advance payments. It is obligated to do so if the insured person is obviously entitled to benefits and is in financial distress.”

In plain terms, this means: If it is clear that you have worked and are available for placement, the fund must transfer a daily allowance advance in the event of delays, rather than leaving you in financial distress.

3. The 3-step guide: How to get your money immediately

If you have been waiting weeks or months for your benefit decision or daily allowance, follow this roadmap:

Step 1: Stop calling – submit a written application

Draft an informal yet legally binding letter (see template below) and explicitly demand a daily allowance advance under Art. 29 AVIG.

Step 2: Visit the counter in person

Go directly to the physical counter of your unemployment fund (e.g., in Chur) with the letter and your documents.

• Important: Bring two copies and have the receipt acknowledged on your copy with date, stamp, and signature of the fund.

Step 3: Ask which specific document is missing

At the counter, it takes less than 3 minutes to clarify which piece of the puzzle is blocking the process. Most often, it is:

• A missing employer's certificate (Arbeitgeberbescheinigung) from your former employer.
• An incomplete “Details of the insured person” (Angaben der versicherten Person) form.
• Missing proof of intermediate earnings (Zwischenverdienst).

4. Interactive generator: Request for advance payment

Use this interactive generator to fill out your request under Art. 29 AVIG directly. You can copy the finished text with a single click or print it directly as a PDF:

[Dein Vorname Nachname]
[Deine Strasse & Hausnummer, PLZ Ort]
AHV-Nr.: [756.XXXX.XXXX.XX]

EINSCHREIBEN / PERSÖNLICHE ÜBERGABE
[Name der Arbeitslosenkasse, z.B. Kantonale Arbeitslosenkasse Graubünden]
[Strasse / Postfach, PLZ Ort]

, 19.08.2026

Betreff: Dringender Antrag auf Taggeld-Vorschusszahlung gemäss Art. 29 AVIG

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren

Ich habe mich per [Datum deiner Anmeldung] ordnungsgemäss zum Leistungsbezug bei Ihrer Kasse angemeldet und sämtliche mir vorliegenden Unterlagen vollständig eingereicht.

Bis zum heutigen Tag – mithin seit über 8 Wochen – habe ich weder eine Leistungsabrechnung noch die mir zustehenden Taggelder für die vergangenen Kontrollperioden erhalten. 

Da meine grundsätzliche Anspruchsberechtigung ausgewiesen ist und durch die ausbleibenden Zahlungen eine akute finanzielle Notlage droht (laufende Fixkosten, Miete, Krankenkasse), beantrage ich hiermit ausdrücklich:

1. Die unverzügliche Ausrichtung einer angemessenen Vorschusszahlung auf meine Taggelder gemäss Art. 29 AVIG auf mein Ihnen bekanntes Bankkonto.
2. Eine schriftliche Auskunft darüber, welche allfälligen Drittunterlagen (z.B. Arbeitgeberbescheinigung) Ihrem Hause noch fehlen, damit ich diese unverzüglich nachfordern kann.

Für eine Auszahlung des Vorschusses innert 5 Arbeitstagen danke ich Ihnen im Voraus bestens.

Freundliche Grüsse

(Unterschrift)

[Dein Vorname Nachname]

5. How PARAT helps you avoid paperwork bottlenecks in the future

Delays at the unemployment fund often occur because forms, monthly proof of job search efforts, or deadlines get lost in paperwork chaos.

With PARAT.pro, you maintain complete control over your entire application and RAV process:

• Automated proof: Record every application seamlessly and audit-proof with a single click.
• Form check: Always keep deadlines and control periods in sight.
• No vulnerability to sanctions: Your documents are always complete, cleanly formatted, and ready on time.