Working time

Working time in Switzerland is governed by the employment contract, collective agreements and mandatory labour protection rules. It includes time during which the employee performs work or must remain at the employer’s disposal; travel, on-call duty, preparation and breaks require fact-specific assessment. Statutory rules set maximum hours, rest periods, night and Sunday work restrictions and recording duties, with sector-specific exceptions. Contractual flexibility does not remove health protection. Correct classification affects salary, overtime, vacation, accident insurance and compliance with labour inspections.