Articles

According to Swiss law, employers are obliged to record and monitor work hours rather strictly. As the reality does not necessarily reflect this, the legal requirements will be modified to become less strict. In particular, employees with flexible working hours who earn at least CHF 120’000 per year will be exempt from the obligation to […]

According to a recent Supreme Court decision, bonus payments are considered discretionary (if the employment contract so states) regardless of whether the bonus amount exceeds the base salary if the base salary amounts to CHF 354’000.00 or more per year. So far, bonus payments were considered salary and – therefore – non-discretionary (regardless of what […]

According to Swiss law, employers are obliged to record and monitor work hours rather strictly. As the reality does not necessarily reflect this, the legal requirements shall be modified and become less strict. In particular, employees earning at least CHF 120’000 per year and permitted flexible work time shall be exempt from the obligation to […]

50,3% of the Swiss population voted “yes” to the Initiative against “mass immigration”, with almost 6 out of 10 Swiss citizens taking part in the referendum. The Initiative also states that “all opposite international treaties must be reviewed within 3 years of the vote” and that is where the debate actually lies, since it means that the Free Movement of Persons Agreement in itself shall be reviewed and most likely reconsidered.

On March 3, 2013, Swiss voters overwhelmingly backed the popular initiative „against rip-off salaries“ – also known as the Swiss „Fat Cat“ referendum (hereinafter the „Initiative“). The aim of the Initiative which was launched by a medium sized businessman and politician, Mr Thomas Minder, is (1) to avoid excesses of executive pay, (2) ban corporate […]

Q&A by André Lerch, employment lawyer in Zurich.