Can I ask an employee to work on a public holiday?

Depends on your canton and sector. Some cantons permit it with advance notice and extra pay or a substitute day off. Healthcare, hospitality, and security often have exceptions. Check your cantonal labour code or ask your chamber of commerce. If your GAV applies, it may set stricter rules. Never assume—consult your legal advisor or cantonal office.

My employee works 60% Pensum (part-time). Do they get full pay on public holidays?

Yes. Part-time employees receive their full regular wage on public holidays, calculated on their contracted Pensum. If they earn CHF 2,000/month at 60% Pensum, they get CHF 2,000 on a public holiday—not a reduced amount. The law treats public holidays as paid time off for all employees, regardless of part-time status.

I employ people in Zurich and Geneva. Which public holidays do I follow?

You must honour each canton's public holidays for employees based there. Your Zurich employees follow Zurich's calendar; your Geneva employees follow Geneva's calendar. In your payroll system, code public holidays by employee location. This also applies to multi-canton GAVs if your company is covered by one.

Public Holidays by Canton (Feiertage)

Feiertage (public holidays) are statutory days on which employees in Switzerland are entitled to time off with full pay. Unlike federal countries with uniform national holidays, Switzerland grants cantons autonomy to set their own public holiday calendars. Your canton and municipality determine which days are official holidays—typically 8–13 per year. You must respect these unless your GAV (collective labour agreement) or employment contract explicitly provides different terms. The most common mistake is assuming all Swiss cantons share identical holiday calendars; they don't.

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Public holidays in Switzerland are not uniform nationwide. Each canton sets its own Feiertage calendar, so a statutory day off in Zurich may be a regular working day in Geneva. This matters when you hire across cantons or have multi-location teams.

Your legal obligation depends on your canton's public holiday law and any applicable GAV. Generally, you must grant statutory holidays without requiring employees to work—and you must pay their regular wages on those days, even if no work occurs.

How Swiss Public Holidays Work by Canton

Switzerland has no federal public holiday list. Instead, each of the 26 cantons defines its own Feiertage schedule. This means an employer in Basel-Stadt observes different holidays than one in Valais. Most cantons recognize 8–13 public holidays per year, including New Year's Day, Labour Day, Christmas, and Boxing Day.

Your municipality may add local holidays on top of the canton's list. Always check both your canton and municipality websites to know the exact days. If you employ people in multiple cantons, you must honour each canton's schedule for those employees.

Typical canton holidays: New Year's Day, Berchtold's Day (2 January, some cantons), Labour Day (1 May), Ascension Day, Whit Monday, National Day (1 August), Christmas, Boxing Day.
Some cantons add Epiphany (6 January), Good Friday, Easter Monday, or Corpus Christi—others don't.
Municipal additions vary widely; a town in Lucerne may observe St Nicholas Day (6 December), but neighbouring villages might not.
Check your canton's official government website or ask your local chamber of commerce for the binding calendar.
If your GAV specifies public holidays, those terms override default canton law (but never below the canton minimum).
Part-time employees on a Pensum (e.g. 50%) still receive full pay on public holidays unless the contract explicitly states otherwise.

Your Obligation as an Employer

Under Swiss law (cantonal labour codes and the ArG for certain sectors), you must grant statutory public holidays to all employees without deduction of wages. If your employee normally earns CHF 3,000 per month, they receive their full CHF 3,000 even if 1 August (National Day) falls on a Tuesday and they do no work.

If your business must operate on a public holiday (healthcare, hospitality, security), you can require work—but you must either grant a substitute day off or pay overtime/bonus (depending on your canton and GAV). The ArG and cantonal law differ; confirm your canton's rules or consult a lawyer.

Pay employees their full regular wage on public holidays; no deduction is permitted.
You cannot require work on a statutory public holiday unless your sector or GAV explicitly permits it.
If you do schedule work on a public holiday, provide a substitute day off or additional pay (terms vary by canton; check your cantonal labour office).
This obligation applies to all employees on any Pensum, including part-time and temporary staff.
Foreign employees in Switzerland are entitled to their canton's public holidays just like Swiss citizens.
Public holidays do not 'accumulate' or roll over—they occur on fixed dates.

The Most Common Mistake

Employers often assume Switzerland has a single national public holiday list. When they hire across cantons or open a new office, they discover their old calendar is wrong for the new location. A Zurich-based company suddenly operating in Geneva finds that its Geneva team works on days Zurich employees have off—or vice versa.

A second frequent error: not checking if your canton allows work on certain holidays (or requires extra pay if you do). Some cantons are strict; others permit negotiated flexibility. Clarify this with your cantonal labour office or legal advisor before scheduling holiday shifts.

Never copy a public holiday calendar from another canton without verifying it applies to yours.
When you expand to a new canton, update your payroll system and employee handbook immediately.
Do not assume your GAV's public holiday clause applies nationwide; re-read it for multi-canton scope.
If you must operate on a public holiday, confirm your canton permits this (and what you owe employees) before the date arrives.
Check municipal holidays too—some towns observe local feast days your canton list omits.
Update your internal HR calendar every January and whenever your canton changes its holiday law.

Frequently asked questions

Can I ask an employee to work on a public holiday?: Depends on your canton and sector. Some cantons permit it with advance notice and extra pay or a substitute day off. Healthcare, hospitality, and security often have exceptions. Check your cantonal labour code or ask your chamber of commerce. If your GAV applies, it may set stricter rules. Never assume—consult your legal advisor or cantonal office.
My employee works 60% Pensum (part-time). Do they get full pay on public holidays?: Yes. Part-time employees receive their full regular wage on public holidays, calculated on their contracted Pensum. If they earn CHF 2,000/month at 60% Pensum, they get CHF 2,000 on a public holiday—not a reduced amount. The law treats public holidays as paid time off for all employees, regardless of part-time status.
I employ people in Zurich and Geneva. Which public holidays do I follow?: You must honour each canton's public holidays for employees based there. Your Zurich employees follow Zurich's calendar; your Geneva employees follow Geneva's calendar. In your payroll system, code public holidays by employee location. This also applies to multi-canton GAVs if your company is covered by one.

General information for Swiss employers, not legal advice. Have a lawyer confirm anything with legal consequences.