Living in Switzerland · Work
Employment contract, notice, maternity
Topic
Anyone who starts a job concludes an employment contract with the employer. It sets out, for example, the wage, the working hours, the holidays and the notice period. Anyone who wants to end an employment relationship must give notice and respect the notice period. It is best to give notice in writing by registered letter or to have receipt confirmed. That way you can prove the notice.
At the end of the job, or during it, you can ask for a reference letter. In it, the employer writes how you worked and behaved. The reference letter is important for later job applications. For a public office, for example on the municipal council or as a judge, the employer must give time off. The wage continues to be paid for this for a certain time.
Pregnant women are specially protected. After the probationary period, they may not be dismissed during pregnancy and for 16 weeks after the birth. After the birth, working mothers have 14 weeks of maternity leave. They receive 80 percent of their wage, up to a maximum of 220 francs per day. Condition: they were previously insured for at least 9 months and in paid work for 5 months.
Memory aid: 14 weeks of leave, 16 weeks of protection against dismissal after the birth.
Key terms
- Arbeitsvertrag
- Employment contract: contract between employer and employee on wages, working hours and other conditions.
- Kündigungsfrist
- Notice period: the time between giving notice and the end of the employment relationship.
- Arbeitszeugnis
- Reference letter from an employer: written assessment of performance and conduct by the employer.
- Mutterschaftsurlaub
- Maternity leave: 14 weeks of paid leave for working mothers after the birth.
Exam questions on this topic
- What is a reference letter from an employer (Arbeitszeugnis)?Correct answer: D, a document issued by the employer that provides information on the employee's performance and conduct
- An employee may not be dismissed if she ...Correct answer: C, is pregnant.
- What must you do if you want to end an employment relationship in the regular way?Correct answer: D, give notice by registered letter or have receipt of the notice confirmed in writing
- What is regulated in an employment contract, among other things? It regulates ...Correct answer: D, how high the wage is.
- When are you as an employee entitled to paid hours or days off work?Correct answer: B, for exercising a public office
- Which statement about maternity leave in Switzerland is correct?Correct answer: D, Every woman who works and has a child is entitled to maternity leave.