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WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

Why May 1st isn’t a public holiday everywhere in Switzerland

International Workers' Day is commemorated on May 1st. But only parts of Switzerland celebrate it.

Published: 27 April 2023 16:56 CEST
Updated: 1 May 2024 06:33 CEST

Why May 1st isn't a public holiday everywhere in Switzerland

Rallies will be held throughout the country on May 1st. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

May Day, which falls on a Wednesday this year, is marked across the world.

In many places the day, which is also known as International Workers’ Day or Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit, Fête du travail and Festa del lavoro in German, French and Italian), is a public holiday.

In Switzerland, however, there are differences depending on where you live.

People in the following cantons normally have the full day off on May 1st: Zurich, Basel–City, Basel–Country, Jura, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Thurgau and Ticino.

In Aargau and Solothurn, people are usually given a half day off (from noon).

In some cantons, such as Fribourg and St. Gallen, a half day is usually given to cantonal workers.

Employees in other cantons do not get a public holiday on May 1st, unless their boss gives workers the time off.

Why isn’t May 1st a holiday everywhere in Switzerland?

The simple answer is that under the country’s federalist system, individual cantons are free to set their own public holidays.

The only exceptions are Swiss National Day on August 1st, Ascension, as well as Christmas and New Year’s Day, all of which are national holiday at federal level.

There is no one official explanation as to why May 1st is a public holiday in some cantons but not in others.

One theory is that it is most widespread in places where unions are strongest.

How is May 1st marked in Switzerland?

Since it is a day devoted to workers’ rights, rallies are organised by unions and other organisations throughout the country.

Demonstrators typically demand higher pay, equal rights, and other labour-related concerns.

The biggest demonstration takes place in Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city.

Each year, the Zurich May Day Committee focuses on one issue; this year’s slogan is ‘Capitalism makes you sick.’

Similar events will take place throughout the country (though at a smaller scale), even in places where May 1st is not an official holiday.

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Why Swiss employers are eager to hire US professionals

Some Swiss employers, including pharmaceutical giants Roche and Novartis, pull out all the stops to attract foreigners — especially from the United States — for top management positions.

Companies even go so far as to cover the rent, private school tuition fees, and sometimes even taxes and health insurance, of the senior US executives.

Why are these employers offering perks to the professionals from the US?

“Depending on the size of the company, the number of [locally-based] candidates is very limited for certain positions. Hiring foreign executives is therefore inevitable,” according to recruiter Erik Wirz. “And in the United States, there are very qualified employees in the pharmaceutical or technological fields.”

The demand also extends to top researchers or those who are recognised specialists in their field, Wirz added.

The high cost involved in relocating sought-after US personnel, as well as all the perks they receive once in Switzerland — typically a package ranging from five to six-figures — are worth every franc, according to a Roche spokesperson.

“What matters to us is the aptitude and performance of our employees. We want to attract the best talent, regardless of their origin.”

But wait…aren’t Americans third-country nationals and therefore have restricted access to Switzerland’s labour market?

Yes, and as such, they are subject to stricter employment rules than their counterparts from the European Union and EFTA states (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein).

However, according to rules set out by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), “admission of third-country nationals to the Swiss labour market is only granted if it is in the interests of Switzerland and the Swiss economy as a whole.”

Furthermore, “you must be a highly qualified specialist or skilled professional in your field. This means that you should have a degree from a university or an institution of higher education, as well as a number of years of professional work experience.

And in Switzerland’s employment hierarchy, you can be hired only if the employer can prove to the authorities that no suitable Swiss or EU / EFTA candidate could be found to fill the vacant position.

Clearly, the top US executives recruited by Swiss companies meet all these requirements, which is why they are allowed to come and work in Switzerland.

What’s in it for the American employees?

The financial benefits are obviously generous, as these execs earn more, and get additional benefits, while working in Switzerland they would back home.

“It is impossible to attract top managers if they get the same salary,” Wirz said.

There is, however, one negative aspect of working in Switzerland — or anywhere else outside of the United States.

And that is the burden of dealing with both the Swiss and US tax system, as Uncle Sam operates citizenship based taxation, even on people who live overseas.

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