Swiss labour laws can be difficult to navigate at the best of times, with complex rules, linguistic challenges, and some cantonal variations. But for those asked to work on Sundays, authorisation and consent must be obtained – while you will be paid more in most cases. 

Keep in mind that this is just a general outline and does not equate to legal advice. The relevant rules for Sunday workers are laid out under Ordinance 2 of the Employment Act, so consult an updated statute book or of course ask a lawyer. 

The relevant government authority regarding employment is the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). 

Employment in Switzerland

The Swiss economy is strong, and unemployment is low, making it great for job hunters and employers alike. Employers are also subject to a range of restrictions on when their employees are allowed to work. 

Working more than 45 hours per week is restricted, as is working before 6am or after 11pm – with similar restrictions applying on Sundays. 

First things first, what is considered Sunday work in Switzerland?

If an employee works between the hours of 11pm on a Saturday and 11pm on a Sunday, then this is considered Sunday work in Switzerland.

While this is the general window for Sunday work, with the employee’s consent, this working period can also be moved forward or backward by one hour. This will still be considered Sunday work.

Additionally, Switzerland’s only public holiday on August 1st is also treated as a Sunday and if you are asked to work during the public holiday, you will hence also be working Sundays.

READ MORE: Six things you shouldn’t do on a Sunday in Switzerland

But is Sunday work even legal?

Yes and no – or as the Swiss-German public likes to say ‘Jein’ – working on Sundays is generally prohibited in Switzerland.

However, working on Sundays can be possible, subject to special authorisation and the employee’s consent.

Swiss law differentiates between occasional and regular Sunday work.

Occasional or temporary working on Sundays is of a fixed duration and should not exceed six months per case. Note that when calculating the number of working days, public holidays must be included.

If an employer seeks to employ workers for temporary Sunday work, they must submit a request to the cantonal authority explaining why their employees need to work on a Sunday. If a company can demonstrate technical or economic reasons or an urgent need, Sunday work can be permitted.

The cantonal authority will then provide further information and the necessary application forms.

Any work that is done on a Sunday for longer than a period of six months is classed as regular Sunday work.

Employers wishing to apply for authorisation to employ workers for regular work on Sundays need to contact the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs.

READ MORE: Six things you shouldn’t do on a Sunday in Switzerland

Do you always need authorisation for Sunday work?

In some professions and types of work, it is possible to work on a Sunday without the need for authorisation in Switzerland.

These include the health sector, the hospitality industry, certain shops, such as newsstands and bakeries, theatres and cinemas and the media industry.

The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs provides an up-to-date list of professions for which no authorisation is required for work on Sundays.

Am I entitled to extra pay on Sunday?

If you are temporarily required to work on a Sunday, you’re entitled to a 50 percent increase in your regular working wage. 

Your employer is also expected to give you time off to compensate for having you work on a Sunday.

Employees working five hours or less on a Sunday can take time that exact amount of time off within four weeks of having completed the Sunday work.

Anyone working on a Sunday for more than five hours is entitled to one day of rest of at least 24 consecutive hours (in addition to the daily rest, i.e. the resting time of at least 11 hours between two working days, amounting to time off of a total of 35 hours), during the current or the following week.

The situation is slightly different for regular Sunday workers who are still entitled to time off to make up for their Sunday work (same conditions as temporary workers), but do not benefit from an increase in their pay.

In Switzerland, it is against the law for an employer to offer a cash compensation instead of allowing time off as the compensated time is meant to allow employees to rest and recharge for the workweek ahead.