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WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

What you need to know about working on Sundays in Switzerland

Do you work on Sundays in Switzerland - or have you been asked to do so? Here’s what you need to know before showing up for Sunday work.

Published: 30 June 2023 16:31 CEST
Anonymous fashionable businesswoman walking through revolving door
Can you work on Sundays in Switzerland? Photo by Ono Kosuki: https://www.pexels.com/photo/anonymous-fashionable-businesswoman-walking-through-revolving-door-5999944/

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.

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For members

WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

Six ways working in Switzerland is better than in the US

Sometimes it is difficult to compare different systems because much of the context is missing. But when looking at employment conditions in Switzerland and the United States from a purely factual perspective, some conclusions can be drawn.

Published: 14 June 2024 14:23 CEST
Six ways working in Switzerland is better than in the US

In terms on politics, social system, demographics, and economy, Switzerland and America are, both literally and figuratively,  worlds apart.

But if you are a US citizen who is moving to Switzerland for professional reasons (and lucky enough to be granted a work permit as a third country national), then you may want to know how the Swiss employment system compares with the American one.

Let’s look at general differences — that is, laws and practices applicable to the working population as a whole, and not just relating to the most fortunate employees like top-level executives, who typically have more benefits than the rank-and-file workers.

Wages

Much depends on your professional level, of course, but generally speaking, on average employees in Switzerland earn more than their US counterparts.

An average annual income in Switzerland is about 80,000 francs, while in the US it amounts to $59,428 (53,000 francs).

You may argue that cost of living is lower in the United States, so the money goes further there. This is true in a general sense, but on the other hand, taxes are lower in Switzerland.

Workers in Switzerland have more statuary protections

Swiss law grants certain rights to its employees, which the US legislation doesn’t.

For instance, Swiss workers are entitled to at least four weeks’ of paid vacation time per year.  

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about annual leave in Switzerland

In the US, on the other hand, there is no statutory minimum paid vacation. Instead, this is left up to the employers’ discretion.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), about one–third of private industry workers received 10 to 14 days of paid vacation after one year of service. After 10 years of service, 33 percent of private industry workers received between 15 and 19 days of paid vacation.

‘Sick days’

Swiss employment law only mandates that employers offer basic paid sick leave: generally, three weeks in your first year in the job, rising with each additional year to around four months max, depending on the canton.

However, many Swiss employers take out insurance that covers a more generous sick pay deal.

In the US, on the other hand, no law guarantees workers a single paid day off, and many aren’t even entitled to unpaid time.

According to BLS, only 77 percent of the private sector workforce has paid sick time. This means that almost one in four workers do not have even a single paid sick day. 

Work-life balance

This phrase is used to describe a division of time between work and leisure activities. This means the ability to successfully combine work, family commitments, and personal life .

Here too, Switzerland (and Europe in general) has a definite edge.

The Better Life Index by the Organisaton for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), found that  “in Switzerland, full-time workers devote a similar amount of their day on average to personal care (eating, sleeping, etc.) and leisure (socialising with friends and family, hobbies, games, computer and television use, etc.) as the OECD average of 15 hours.”  

 In the US, on the other hand, employees devote “less than the OECD average of 15 hours” to their non-work related activities.

Health insurance

Most US residents who are employed get their health insurance through their company.

In Switzerland, on the other hand, individuals are responsible for purchasing their own policies from one of the dozens of insurance providers.

It is difficult to say which approach is better; however, not having one’s health insurance tied to (and dependent on) a specific employer means that a person won’t be left without a coverage if he or she loses their job — even more so, considering how expensive medical care is in the United States.

READ ALSO: How does Switzerland’s healthcare system compare with the US? 

Unemployment benefits

If you have worked — and paid into the Swiss social security system — for 12 months in the past two years, you are entitled to 260 days (approximately 37 weeks) worth of unemployment allowance.

In the case that you had been employed for at least 18 months, you will collect for 400 days.

Workers in most US states, on the other hand, are eligible for only 26 weeks of unemployment allowances.

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