4 ms·

Also we don't get free heathcare, we pay for it through taxation. I believe this is morally right, but that's beside the point: These well-paid American employe

Also we don't get free heathcare, we pay for it through taxation. I believe this is morally right, but that's beside the point: These well-paid American employees are also probably getting a great healthcare package as part of their contract, so they don't even have to pay for it.

TulliusCicero 7y ago
Oh, healthcare still costs money in the US, when I was at Google in the bay area I still had monthly premiums and out of pocket costs. It wasn't super expensive though...as long as nothing went wrong.
anthonypasq 7y ago
All employer provided healthcare is subsidized not free.
- xtracto 7y ago
  Haha, your comment reminded me when I went to Las Vegas and the hotel told us to go into bus X that they offered as part of the service for their guests. When we arrived to the bus, we asked the driver: "Is this the bus service that goes to XYZ place and it si free?" . The driver very seriously told us: "It is not free", to which we replied "but they told us it was free!", finally he added: "it is not free, it is complimentary" I found amusing how the US culture finds the concept of "free" (gratis, kostenlos) somewhat dirty.
- mav3rick 7y ago
  It is free are G. There is a 1000 deductible and people get 1000 in their HSA at the start of the year. Nothing gets cut monthly from your pay check..
j4kp07 7y ago
> Also we don't get free heathcare, we pay for it through taxation It's funny how the "free" narrative is flipped when it's not convenient anymore. > so they don't even have to pay for it Monthly premium and co-pays still exist and it's disingenuous to ignore the fact that benefits should be included in the context of negotiating a salary. > These well-paid American employees are also probably getting a great healthcare package as part of their contract Thank you. Now please spread this message to your friends and colleagues.
rolltiide 7y ago
The Swiss offices have much lower tax rates than their bay area counterparts, a tax rate which includes health insurance (correct me if its a separate tax)
- lordnacho 7y ago
  Health isn't a tax as such, but an insurance service that everyone is obliged to buy from one of several providers. Importantly, it doesn't depend on your income, rather your age and health stuff like whether you smoke.
- zrhswe 7y ago
  At 200k+ pay from FAANG swiss income taxes are not that low. In Zurich they roughly are comparable to US federal taxes, like what you'd pay in Seattle with just a few niceties like no capital gains tax. It gets a little cheaper in Zug and Schwyz but not much. Health care is absolutely not free, in fact it's probably second most expensive country in the world for healthcare after the US. A doctor visit is going to cost you 100-200 franks at least. Insurance system works much better than in the US, but prices are (almost) as crazy.

TulliusCicero 7y ago

Oh, healthcare still costs money in the US, when I was at Google in the bay area I still had monthly premiums and out of pocket costs. It wasn't super expensive though...as long as nothing went wrong.

anthonypasq 7y ago

All employer provided healthcare is subsidized not free.

xtracto 7y ago
Haha, your comment reminded me when I went to Las Vegas and the hotel told us to go into bus X that they offered as part of the service for their guests. When we arrived to the bus, we asked the driver: "Is this the bus service that goes to XYZ place and it si free?" . The driver very seriously told us: "It is not free", to which we replied "but they told us it was free!", finally he added: "it is not free, it is complimentary" I found amusing how the US culture finds the concept of "free" (gratis, kostenlos) somewhat dirty.
mav3rick 7y ago
It is free are G. There is a 1000 deductible and people get 1000 in their HSA at the start of the year. Nothing gets cut monthly from your pay check..

j4kp07 7y ago

> Also we don't get free heathcare, we pay for it through taxation It's funny how the "free" narrative is flipped when it's not convenient anymore. > so they don't even have to pay for it Monthly premium and co-pays still exist and it's disingenuous to ignore the fact that benefits should be included in the context of negotiating a salary. > These well-paid American employees are also probably getting a great healthcare package as part of their contract Thank you. Now please spread this message to your friends and colleagues.

rolltiide 7y ago

The Swiss offices have much lower tax rates than their bay area counterparts, a tax rate which includes health insurance (correct me if its a separate tax)

lordnacho 7y ago
Health isn't a tax as such, but an insurance service that everyone is obliged to buy from one of several providers. Importantly, it doesn't depend on your income, rather your age and health stuff like whether you smoke.
zrhswe 7y ago
At 200k+ pay from FAANG swiss income taxes are not that low. In Zurich they roughly are comparable to US federal taxes, like what you'd pay in Seattle with just a few niceties like no capital gains tax. It gets a little cheaper in Zug and Schwyz but not much. Health care is absolutely not free, in fact it's probably second most expensive country in the world for healthcare after the US. A doctor visit is going to cost you 100-200 franks at least. Insurance system works much better than in the US, but prices are (almost) as crazy.