Aaarrggghh.

Written by Karin Lin
Published: October 31, 2005 at 10:15 PM [UTC]

I haven't blogged---or practiced, or worked, or done much of anything in the last two weeks because I'm stressing out over a potential move to Zürich. Yes, this is the job I mentioned two entries ago. Apparently the candidate they were going to hire before receiving my application backed out at the last second. Short version of the story: new round of interviews, job sounds great, they made me an offer.

The problem, however, is that my current U.S. salary, when converted into Swiss francs (CHF) at the current exchange rate, leads to a figure much higher than what anyone else in the group makes, so what they're offering me is somewhat lower. This in itself wouldn't necessarily be unacceptable, as long as I can support my family of four in a city that's among the ten most expensive in the world.

So I'm trying to find out information about taxes and insurance premiums and mandatory contributions to stuff like old-age insurance (their version of Social Security) and unemployment insurance and pension plans, just so I can figure out my take-home pay and whether it's enough to live on. But I can't seem to get this info anywhere. The HR guy in my company is based in Germany so he has no first-hand knowledge, and everything I can find on the web is conflicting and confusing.

If anyone can help, I'll be eternally grateful. So will my much-ignored violin.