Employment in Switzerland

In an employment relationship, a person works for an employer in return for a salary. The person is integrated into the employer’s organization and must follow permissible work-related instructions. Employment can be agreed orally or in writing, but a written contract provides greater clarity. At a minimum, it should identify the parties, the position, the start date, the salary and the working hours. Employment can be permanent or fixed-term. Other forms include full-time work, part-time work, hourly wages, monthly wages, temporary work and on-call work. A probationary period may be agreed or provided for at the beginning. It gives both sides an opportunity to assess the duties, cooperation and expectations in everyday work. The employer pays the salary and issues a payslip. It shows the gross salary, deductions and the net salary paid out. Employees are entitled to vacation and protection of their health and personality. Additional rules may become important in cases of illness, accident, pregnancy, military service or other special situations. Employment ends through termination, the expiry of a fixed term or a mutual agreement. The notice period, outstanding vacation, final salary and employment reference should be clarified. An employment reference describes the duration, duties, performance and conduct, while a confirmation of employment is shorter. These documents are important for later applications in Switzerland.