Canton of Geneva

The canton of Geneva applies the compulsory minimum wages stipulated in the standard employment contract for household staff of the canton of Geneva (CTT-EDom, in French), specifically:

• unqualified employees: CHF 24.32 gross per hour,
• unqualified employees with at least four years of work experience in the domestic sector: CHF 24.58 gross per hour,
• qualified employees with a Federal Certificate of Vocational Education and Training (AFP): CHF 24.58 gross per hour,
• qualified employees with a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (CFC): CHF 24.84 gross per hour, 
• qualified gardeners with a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (CFC): CHF 26.49 gross per hour.

Canton of Vaud

The Canton of Vaud applies the compulsory minimum wages stipulated in the federal standard employment contract for household workers (hereinafter: 'Federal CTT', available in Swiss official languages), specifically:

• unqualified employees: CHF 19.50 gross per hour,
• unqualified employees with at least four years of work experience in the domestic sector: CHF 21.40 gross per hour,
•  qualified employees with a Federal Certificate of Vocational Education and Training (AFP): CHF 21.40 gross per hour,
•  qualified employees with a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (CFC): CHF 23.55 gross per hour.

For the categories of persons not covered by the Federal CTT, in particular people working less than five hours a week on average for an employer, the minimum gross wages stipulated in the standard employment contract for household staff of the Canton of Vaud apply (cf. decree establishing a standard employment contract for household staff, ACTT-mpr, in French) specifically:

• unqualified employees: CHF 18.55 gross per hour,
• unqualified employees with at least four years of work experience in the domestic sector: CHF 20.35 gross per hour,
• qualified employees with a Federal VET certificate (AFP): CHF 20.35 gross per hour,
• qualified employees with a Federal VET diploma (CFC) or equivalent qualification: CHF 22.40 gross per hour.

Canton of Basel-Stadt

The Canton of Basel-Stadt applies the compulsory minimum wages stipulated in the Federal CTT (available in Swiss official languages), specifically:

• unqualified employees: CHF 19.50 gross per hour,
• unqualified employees with at least four years of work experience in the domestic sector: CHF 21.40 gross per hour,
• qualified employees with a Federal Certificate of Vocational Education and Training (AFP): CHF 21.40 gross per hour,
• qualified employees with a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (CFC): CHF 23.55 gross per hour.

The standard employment contract for household staff of the canton of Basel-Stadt (Basel-Stadt CTT, in German) also provides for the application of federal rates for employment relationships not covered by the CTT of the Swiss Federal Council (i.e. less than five hours per week).

For reference, the canton of Basel-Stadt has published a factsheet (in German) and explanations (in German) on its standard employment contract.

Canton of Bern

The Canton of Bern applies the compulsory minimum wages stipulated in Federal CTT (available in Swiss official languages), specifically:

• unqualified employees: CHF 19.50 gross per hour,
• unqualified employees with at least four years of work experience in the domestic sector: CHF 21.40 gross per hour,
• qualified employees with a Federal Certificate of Vocational Education and Training (AFP): CHF 21.40 gross per hour,
• qualified employees with a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (CFC): CHF 23.55 gross per hour.

The categories of persons not covered by the Federal CTT, in particular people working less than five hours a week on average for an employer or au pairs, the minimum gross wages stipulated in the standard employment contract for household staff of the Canton of Bern apply (Bern CTT, in German and French), specifically:

• workers under 18 years old: CHF 15.10 gross per hour,
• unqualified employees (without professional training): CHF 19.30 gross per hour,
• unqualified employees with at least four years of work experience in the domestic sector: CHF 20.75 gross per hour,
• employees with a federal VET certificate (AFP): CHF 20.75 gross per hour,
• employees with professional training in the domestic sector: CHF 22.40 gross per hour,
• employees with more extensive professional training in the domestic sector: CHF 24.70 gross per hour.

For reference, The Canton of Bern has published a factsheet (in French).

Employers must insure their household staff:

• to the Swiss social insurance scheme (AVS) with the cantonal AVS compensation fund of their canton of residence. The employer contributes to half of the social security contributions and the employee the other half. The employer contributes alone to the family allowances.
• to an occupational pension plan (LPP) through a private LPP institution (bank or insurance) or the Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution, if the employee’s gross salary is equal of greater than CHF 1,837.50 per month or CHF 22,050 per year. In this case, the premiums are shared equally by both parties.
•  against occupational and non-occupational accidents and occupational diseases (LAA) with the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund (SUVA) or a private insurance company. Premiums for occupational accidents are paid by the employer, whereas premiums for non-occupational accidents are paid by the employee. If the employee works less than 8 hours per week, the employer must only insure them against the risk of occupational accidents and illnesses and is responsible for paying the full cost of the insurance premium.

The household employee is responsible for taking out insurance at a recognised Swiss health insurance company and the employer is not obliged to contribute to the insurance premiums or related costs.

Employers must deduct tax at source from the salary of employees who are subject to this form of taxation (in principle, people with a B or Ci permit). They must check with their employee whether or not they are taxable at source.

The employer must register with the tax authorities of their canton of residence and pay the amount of tax deducted at source to them. The employer may also do this through the AVS compensation fund of their canton of residence using the simplified procedure (in German and French); they will thus pay both the social security contributions and the taxes at source directly to the AVS compensation fund (see AVS factsheet, in French).

Information by canton:
Geneva: tax at source (in French); simplified procedure (in French)
Vaud: tax at source (in French); simplified procedure (in French)
Basel-Stadt: tax at source (in German); simplified procedure (in German)
Bern: tax at source (in German and French); simplified procedure (in German and French)

The employer grants paid holiday or adds a holiday allowance to the gross salary (8.33% of the gross salary for 4 weeks of holiday and 10.64% of the gross salary for 5 weeks of holiday for an employee who is less than 20 years old, an employee who have been working 20 years for the same employer or an employee who is 50 years old and who has been working 5 years for the same employer).

Employees who are paid by the hour are in principle not entitled to compensation for public holidays, unless their employment contract explicitly provides for such compensation.

The employer must provide the employee with a detailed monthly statement (salary slip: see model under 'Documents') indicating the number of hours worked, the salary breakdown (i.e. gross salary, compensation paid for holidays), and the deductions made by the employer (social insurance AVS, accident insurance, taxation at source).

It is recommended that the salary be paid by bank transfer or TWINT (means of proof). In case of payment in person, the employer invited to have the employee sign a receipt or the salary slip which indicates that the salary has been paid in cash and the date of payment (means of proof).

If the employer so wishes, he can mandate an external structure to draw up the salary statement and pay the net salary to the employee (see above “Administrative assistance”).  

In the absence of insurance, the employee who is unable to work for reasons beyond their control, such as sickness or accident, is entitled to the payment of their salary for a limited period of time, including fair indemnity for the salary in kind that has been lost, as long as the employment relationship has lasted more than three months or was entered into for more than three months (see information note).

For the cantons of Bern, Geneva and Vaud, this duration is defined by the Bern scale. The Canton of Basel-Stadt uses the Basel scale (see under 'Documents'). In the canton of Geneva, the CTT-EDom (in French) provides, since 1 January 2022, that the employee must be insured for loss of earnings in case of sickness. This insurance must cover 80% of the salary for 720 days in a period of 900 days. Premiums are paid equally each month, unless a written agreement provides that the employer pays the full premium (see article 13 paragraph 1).

In the event of an occupational accident or illness, the LAA accident insurance covers the medical expenses (costs of doctor, pharmacy, hospital) and provides daily allowances in accordance with the terms of the insurance policy.