Funding Area: Parental Leave
The Basel Incentive Programme supports family-friendly companies by funding up to three weeks of additional parental leave per employee. On this page, you will find all relevant information regarding financial support, submitting an application, and the next steps.
Submit an application
To submit an application, your organization must be registered on ePortal Basel-Stadt. To log in to the ePortal as an individual, you need an AGOV-account. You can find answers to related questions in the FAQ section below.
Examples for funding and example calculations can be found in the Factsheet for the Basel Incentive Programme.
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What qualifies for financial support?
Financial Support is provided for company-approved parental leave that exceeds the legal provisions as determined by the Income Compensation Act (Erwerbsersatzordnung). Two conditions apply:
- The first day of this voluntary parental leave needs to be in the fiscal year 2025, and
- the employee’s contractual as well as factual place of work needs to be in the Canton of Basel-Stadt.
How much is covered by the financial support?
- Financial support is available for a maximum of 3 weeks of parental leave that exceeds the duration an employee is legally entitled to.
- The daily rate is capped at 80% of regular income, or a maximum of CHF 220 per diem. This is equivalent to the amount of the Swiss Compensation Office’s standard daily rate an employee is legally entitled to.
- If the total of all contributions exceeds the available funds, there is a legally binding entitlement to the allocated support amount in the parental leave funding area.
Who can apply?
Entitled to an application for financial support are legal entities
- with tax liability in the Canton of Basel-Stadt (unlimited or limited)
- as well as tax-exempt organisations in Basel-Stadt with a public, non-profit or charitable mission.
What documentation is needed?
- A copy of the compensation office’s confirmation of payment for maternity or adoption leave or leave for the other parent (as a consolidated PDF)
- »Deklarationsformular Elternzeit» signed by the legal entity (as a PDF)
- »Deklarationsformular Elternzeit» (as an Excel file)
- An excerpt from the personnel regulations or a comparable document that specifies parental leave entitlements beyond those provided by the EOG.
- Letter of confirmation regarding tax exemption pursuant to § 66 Sec. 1 lit. f StG) (for eligible tax-exempt legal entities)
- Proof of IBAN number (bank confirmation)
Webinars
You have the opportunity to participate in webinars on different focus areas on three different dates:
- 27 April 2026 1pm – 2pm
Webinar with the Basel Chamber of Commerce: Basel Incentive Programme - Focus Innovation (Register here) - 5 May 2026 1pm – 2pm
Webinar with the Trade Association Basel: Basel Incentive Programme for small and midsized enterprises (SME) (Register here) - 6 May 2026 11.15am – 12pm
Webinar with the Employer's Association Basel: Basel Incentive Programme - Focus Parental Leave (Register here)
Q&A-Sessions
In addition, the Office of Economy and Labour offers an online Q&A session every fortnight to answer specific questions from businesses regarding their applications.
11 May 2026 | 2pm – 2.45pm |
26 May 2026 | 2pm – 2.45pm |
8 June 2026 | 2pm – 2.45pm |
22 June 2026 | 2pm – 2.45pm |
Register here.
Timeline
22nd April 2026 | The Government Council publishes the revised ordinance for the next funding period |
End of April - 30th June 2026 | Submission of applications |
Until December 2026 | Awarding of the funding by the Amt für Wirtschaft und Arbeit |
By the end of March 2027 | Payments |
Fact Sheets and Templates
The relevant legal basis is provided by the Standortförderungsgesetz, the Verordnung zum Standortförderungsgesetz, the guidelines listed below, and the application form available on the Basel-Stadt ePortal.