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Managing your first employment contract

General · May 12, 2026 · 3 min read

Your first Swiss employment contract often binds as much as it frees. Collective agreements, probation periods, notice periods, holidays, overtime: clauses that look technical but determine your real rights for years. Here is the complete guide to read, understand and negotiate your contract before signing.

Managing your first employment contract in Switzerland

Structure of a Swiss contract

A standard Swiss employment contract has five blocks:

  1. Identification: parties, role, start date, place of work
  2. Compensation: gross salary, 13th month, variable bonuses
  3. Working time: hours, remote work, overtime
  4. Holidays and absences: duration, booking rules, illness, special leave
  5. End of contract: probation, notice periods, post-contractual clauses

Read each section highlighting what is unclear. Do not hesitate to ask for written clarification: an ambiguous contract generally benefits the employer.

Probation period

Probation lasts 1 month by default, extendable to 3 months maximum by written agreement. During this period:

  • The notice period is 7 days, against 1 to 3 months thereafter
  • The contract can be ended without justification
  • Illness or accident suspend probation (untworked days extend it)
  • Public holidays do not suspend probation

Use these first months to validate the role matches the promise. The employer does the same: 5 to 10% of contracts are terminated during probation.

Salary and components

The gross annual salary typically breaks down as:

  • 12 monthly instalments + 13th salary paid year-end
  • Possible bonus (5 to 30% depending on role and sector)
  • Family allowances (if children) paid by the canton via the employer
  • Social contributions: AHV, IV, EO (5.3%), ALV (1.1%), BVG (varies by age and fund), UVG (often employer-paid)

Check whether the contract states if the 13th salary is guaranteed or conditional, and the precise bonus payment date (often paid in Q1 of the following year).

Holidays and absences

Swiss legal minimums:

  • 4 weeks of holidays per year (5 for under 20)
  • 5 weeks often negotiated in good companies
  • 8 public holidays on average by canton (up to 12 in some)

Absence rights:

  • Illness: covered by sickness benefits insurance (often 80% of salary for 720 of 900 days)
  • Accident: covered by UVG (80% from day 3)
  • Maternity: 14 weeks at 80% of salary
  • Paternity: 2 weeks at 80% of salary
  • Special leave: moving, marriage, bereavement — per practice and CLA

Overtime

The law distinguishes:

  • Overtime: beyond contractual hours but under legal maximum (45 or 50 h/week) — compensated in time off or paid with a 25% premium
  • Excess work: beyond legal maximum — always paid with 25% premium

Check the contract: some senior roles sign a "free schedule" clause that effectively removes the premium. It is legal but negotiable.

Sensitive clauses

Some clauses deserve careful reading:

  • Non-compete clause: max 3 years after departure, limited geographic and sector scope, compensation sometimes provided. Refuse excessive or unpaid clauses
  • Confidentiality clause: standard, but check duration and scope
  • IP assignment: standard in R&D and tech
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: important in finance and consulting

Have ambiguous clauses reviewed by a lawyer or a union (Unia, Syna) before signing if in any doubt.

Before signing: the checklist

Ten points to validate:

  1. Job title and description match what was discussed
  2. Gross salary, 13th month and possible bonuses are written
  3. Place of work is precise (and remote work explicit)
  4. Weekly working hours are clear
  5. Holiday duration is specified
  6. Probation is mentioned
  7. Post-probation notice period is defined
  8. Post-contractual clauses are reasonable
  9. Contract states the applicable CLA (if any)
  10. You keep a signed and dated copy

Never accept a verbal contract or simple e-mail: only a signed written document has legal weight in case of dispute.

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