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.
Employment in Switzerland
Employment in Switzerland is a working relationship between an employee and an employer. The contract defines the duties, salary and other working conditions. Clear agreements and complete documents prevent many later misunderstandings.
Tip
Treat employment as an important mutual agreement, not merely as a promise of work. Before starting, check whether the position, workload, salary and place of work match what was discussed. Request missing documents in a friendly but firm manner.