Resigning during the probation period: What happens with the RAV & unemployment fund?

It is the classic scenario: You started a new job full of anticipation, but after just a few weeks you realize – it is simply not a good fit. The working atmosphere is toxic, the tasks do not match the job description, or the boss is a nightmare. During the probation period, a resignation is quickly submitted, often with a notice period of just seven days.

But beware: If you resign yourself, you come under scrutiny by the unemployment fund (ALK) and the RAV.

In this article, we take a close look at what happens when you resign yourself during the probation period, why the RAV is so strict, and how you can best protect yourself to avoid financial losses in the form of suspension days.

The principle of "self-inflicted unemployment"

The Swiss Unemployment Insurance Act (AVIG) shows no mercy here: Unemployment insurance only pays without restrictions if you became unemployed "through no fault of your own". If you resign yourself – whether during the probation period or afterwards –, you are generally deemed "self-inflicted unemployed" first.

The logic behind it: You could have kept your job, but chose to leave of your own free will. That is why the unemployment fund examines every case of self-resignation closely. The risk? Suspension days. These are days on which you receive no daily allowances. Depending on the "severity of fault", this can range between 1 and 60 suspension days. This can quickly tear a hole of several thousand francs in your budget.

Exceptions: When can I resign without a penalty?

There are exceptions where a self-resignation is recognized as "unreasonable" and you do not incur any suspension days. However, the hurdles for this are relatively high. The fund usually only accepts a resignation without a follow-up solution (i.e., without a new job in prospect) if remaining in the workplace could not objectively be expected of you.

These include, for example:

• Health reasons: The work demonstrably makes you ill (e.g., bullying, burnout, physical overload). A medical certificate is mandatory here, issued before the resignation and explicitly stating that continuing the job is not reasonable for you due to health reasons.
• Unpaid wages: The employer repeatedly fails to pay wages or does not pay on time.
• Safety defects: The workplace poses a serious, unresolved danger to your health.
• Unreasonable changes: The employer suddenly demands things from you that were not contractually agreed upon and cannot reasonably be expected of you.

3 tips if trouble brews during the probation period

Before you throw in the towel out of frustration, you should proceed strategically.

1. Initiate a conversation (and document it!): Address the grievances openly. Maybe the problem can be resolved. If not, at least you have proven that you made an effort to find a solution. Take notes on these conversations.
2. Provoke termination by the employer? (Caution!): Some try to get the employer to terminate the contract. This can also be dangerous. If the employer terminates you due to your own fault (e.g., refusal to work, persistent tardiness), the unemployment fund will also examine suspension days. However, if you are terminated because "it was simply not a good fit" or you could not deliver the required performance despite your efforts, you are usually on the safe side.
3. Find a new job first, then resign: This is always the safest way. As long as you are searching for a new job from an un-terminated employment relationship, you face no problems with the RAV.

How PARAT can help you

If you decide to cut short your probation period, or if you are terminated, you need to act quickly. From the moment of resignation (or receipt of termination notice), the RAV immediately expects job search efforts again.

With PARAT, you have your application management completely under control. You can track your applications clearly, export the official SECO form as a ZIP file with one click at the end of the month, and send it to your RAV advisor. This saves you valuable time and ensures that you do not risk additional suspension days due to insufficient job search efforts. In addition, our AI resume generator helps you quickly get your CV back into shape so you can hit the ground running again.

Conclusion on probation period resignation

Although the probation period is intended precisely to see if employer and employee are a good fit, the RAV does not differentiate between a probation period and permanent employment when it comes to the principle of "self-inflicted unemployment". So never resign lightheartedly and without a new job, unless you have valid (and ideally medically certified) reasons to do so.