ARTICLE · 20 APRIL 2023

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Labour and Employment Comparative Guide

Wenger Plattner

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Labour and Employment Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Switzerland, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

SwitzerlandEmployment and HR

Roland Bachmann

1 Legal framework

1.1 Are there statutory sources of labour and employment law?

The most important statutory laws governing the employment relationship are:

the Code of Obligations (SR 220);
the Federal Work Act (SR 822.11);
the Federal Act on Gender Equality (SR 151.11);
the Federal Act on Workers' Participation (822.14);
the Federal Act on Deployment (SR 823.20);
the Federal Act on Placement Agencies and Staffing Leasing Services (SR 823.11); and
the Federal Ordinance against Excessive Compensations with Listed Companies (221.331).

Most of these laws have corresponding ordinances. Statutory laws on Swiss social security and social insurance, as well as collective labour agreements that apply in various economic sectors, have a significant impact on the employment relationship.

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