Switzerland
Find out key information relating to Switzerland’s leave entitlements
Leave entitlement & working time regulations at a glance
Minimum Holiday Entitlement
20 days
Public Holidays
4-15 per year (varies by canton)
Parental Leave
14 weeks for mothers; 2 weeks for fathers (paid)
Working Week
42 hours (full time)
Sick Leave Entitlement
Coverage depends on employer contracts; typically paid up to 3 weeks
Region
EMEA
ABSENCE & LEAVE
Additional information
Annual leave
The CO provides a minimum annual holiday entitlement of: Four weeks (20 working days) for full-time employees (calculated pro rata for part-time employees). Five weeks (25 working days) for full-time employees under 20 years of age (calculated pro rata for part-time employees).
Parental leave
The mother is entitled to 14 weeks of paid leave, which is 80% of her salary, up to a maximum daily allowance of CHF 220. The other parent is entitled to 2 weeks of paid leave.
Additional leave
While not required by law, it’s common for employees to receive 3–5 days of leave for the death of a close relative, and 1–3 days of unpaid leave for marriage. Some sectors, such as banking, finance, and technology, commonly provide an additional week of holiday.