When does the workday end in Switzerland?
When your contracted hours are done: that is Feierabend. The law caps the working week at 45 hours for office staff, and overtime beyond your contract is paid with at least 25 percent extra unless your written contract says otherwise.
Ep. 24 · Ueli's Word · 61 seconds. Watch
The real rule
Why the Swiss laugh, and what it means if you're new here.
Feierabend, the end of the working day, is taken seriously in Switzerland, and the law gives it a frame: at most 45 hours a week for office staff, and overtime paid with at least 25 percent extra unless your written contract says otherwise. As a newcomer, read your contract on hours and overtime, and do not be surprised when the office empties at five.
Blüemli's verdict: Ding. It's the law. Maximum week: 45 hours for office staff. Overtime beyond your contract: usually +25%.
FEIERABEND: originally: the eve of a holiday; today: work is over, the evening is yours Ueli's Word
Be like Ueli. When it's Feierabend, it's Feierabend.
Learn more: The real rules of Swiss work culture
The rule, explained
Feierabend once meant the eve of a holiday; today the Duden defines it as the free time after the working day. The law gives it a frame. SECO sets a maximum working week of 45 hours for office staff, technical staff and other employees, and 50 hours for everyone else. Hours beyond your contractual working time are overtime, and under Art. 321c of the Code of Obligations they are paid with a supplement of at least a quarter, unless a written agreement says otherwise. So when your hours are done, the evening is yours.
Sources: SECO, Arbeits- und Ruhezeiten; SECO FAQ Überstunden; Code of Obligations Art. 321c; Duden, Feierabend
Questions people ask
What is the maximum working week in Switzerland?
45 hours for office, technical and other staff; 50 hours for all other employees (SECO).
Is overtime paid in Switzerland?
Yes, with at least 25 percent extra, unless a written agreement says otherwise (Code of Obligations Art. 321c).
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