Homeoffice Rules for Swiss Employers
Homeoffice in Switzerland is not regulated by federal law, but your employment contract must specify remote work terms, liability for equipment, and hours. Cantons set different precedents. You must document the arrangement and ensure accident insurance coverage applies.
Homeoffice is any arrangement where an employee works regularly outside your office, whether at home or a co-working space. Switzerland has no national homeoffice law, but the employment contract governs the terms. You set the rules; the employee consents by signing.
During the pandemic, cantons developed informal norms—Zurich and Basle-Stadt favour flexibility, while Appenzell and Uri remain office-focused. Your agreement must address liability, equipment provision, working hours, and data security regardless of location.
What Must Be in Your Homeoffice Agreement
Document everything in writing. The employment contract or a separate homeoffice policy must specify: how many days per week remote work is permitted, which equipment (laptop, phone, furniture) you provide, and whether the employee reimburses internet costs or utilities.
State clearly who pays for accidents and equipment damage at home. Under the Unfallversicherungsgesetz (UVG), your mandatory employer liability insurance covers work-related injury even at home—but only if the work is documented as official. Ambiguity invites disputes.
- Specify Pensum percentage eligible for remote work (e.g. 2 days, 40%)
- List equipment you provide vs. employee supplies
- Define working hours and availability expectations
- State liability for theft, damage, or loss at home
- Confirm data security rules and confidentiality compliance
- Include a trial period (typically 3 months) before making it permanent
Your Obligations as Employer
You remain responsible for occupational safety and data protection whether the employee is in the office or at home. The revised Datenschutzgesetz (revDSG) applies: you must protect personal data of employees and customers, monitor compliance, and ensure secure file handling.
Pay attention to canton rules on working time (Arbeitsgesetz). Most cantons allow flexible hours for remote workers, but you cannot ignore maximum daily/weekly limits or rest periods. Keep records of homeoffice days for tax and insurance purposes.
- Ensure UVG (accident insurance) covers home-based work explicitly
- Comply with revDSG for employee data and customer records
- Respect canton-level Arbeitsgesetz maximum working hours
- Reimburse equipment costs or provide clear policy
- Document the arrangement in the employment contract
- Conduct regular check-ins to monitor wellbeing and isolation risk
The Most Common Mistake
Employers often assume verbal agreement is enough. When disputes arise—equipment damage, missed deadlines, data loss—lack of written terms makes liability unclear. Courts lean toward the employee's interpretation when terms are ambiguous.
A second trap: forgetting to notify your liability insurer and accident insurer (suva.ch or equivalent) about regular homeoffice. If a claim arises and insurers discover undisclosed remote work, coverage may be denied. Spend 30 minutes writing it down; save thousands in legal fees later.
- No written homeoffice agreement = risk in disputes
- Insurers must be informed of regular remote work arrangements
- Vague liability clauses often favour the employee
- Failing to distinguish trial period from permanent arrangement
- Ignoring canton-specific working time rules
- Not addressing data security in the contract
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to allow homeoffice?
- No. Homeoffice is not a legal right in Switzerland. You decide whether to offer it. Once agreed in writing, you cannot unilaterally revoke it without notice or cause—treat it like any contract change requiring employee consent.
- Who pays for the employee's internet at home?
- This is negotiable and should be written into the contract. Common practice: employer covers 20–50% of internet costs, or provides a flat monthly allowance (CHF 30–60). Some employers provide nothing and justify it as fair—the contract determines it.
- Does my accident insurer cover injuries at home?
- Yes, if the work is documented and officially sanctioned. Your mandatory UVG covers work-related injury anywhere. But inform your insurer about homeoffice in advance. Without notification, they may deny claims for undisclosed remote work.
General information for Swiss employers, not legal advice. Have a lawyer confirm anything with legal consequences.