Time Recording Obligation (Arbeitszeiterfassung)
Arbeitszeiterfassung is the mandatory recording of employee working hours—when work begins, ends, and breaks taken. Swiss employers must maintain these records for wage calculation, vacation accrual, and overtime management. The method (digital, paper, or hybrid) is flexible, but documentation must be accurate and retained for audit purposes.
Under Swiss labour law (Arbeitsgesetz, ArG), most employers must record the hours worked by their employees. This is not a choice—it is a legal obligation that applies across most cantons and sectors, with narrow exceptions for senior management and certain professional roles.
Time recording serves three critical functions: calculating wages and overtime fairly, ensuring compliance with maximum working-hour limits, and protecting both employer and employee in case of dispute. The Swiss Federal Labour Office (SECO) and cantonal labour inspectorates enforce this requirement during workplace audits.
When the obligation applies
Every employee working under an employment contract must have their hours recorded, unless they are excluded by law or collective agreement (GAV). Exclusions are rare and typically apply only to senior executives with autonomous control over their schedules.
Time recording becomes especially critical when employees work variable Pensum, shifts, or overtime. It is also mandatory whenever you employ apprentices or young workers—cantonal rules are often stricter for workers under 18.
- Applies to all employees unless explicitly exempt under a GAV or law
- Required for part-time and full-time Pensum equally
- Mandatory for overtime and shift-work tracking
- Stricter rules apply in cantons like Zurich, Basel-Stadt, and Geneva
- Apprentices and interns must always have recorded hours
- Remote work does not exempt you from recording requirements
Your employer obligations
You must keep a record showing start time, end time, and breaks for each working day. The record must be accurate enough to calculate wages and verify compliance with maximum working hours (45 per week in most cantons). Records must be stored for at least five years and made available to employees on request.
You are not required to use expensive software—a time-clock, spreadsheet, or paper register is legally valid. What matters is accuracy and completeness. If an employee claims unpaid overtime, your records are the first document scrutinized by a court or labour inspector.
- Maintain daily records of start, end, and break times
- Store records for minimum five years
- Provide copies to employees within 30 days if requested
- Ensure records are accurate—estimates or rounding are risky
- Document any overtime and reason for it
- Retain records even after employment ends
The most common mistake
Employers often rely on employee self-reporting or memory instead of systematic recording. When a wage dispute or inspection occurs, you cannot defend a gap in records by saying 'the employee told me they worked those hours.' A labour inspector will find this insufficient.
The second frequent error is poor data retention. Deleting digital records after one or two years, or failing to archive paper records, violates the five-year obligation. If you cannot produce records, you may be liable for unpaid wages or fines. Swiss law (ArG Article 46) places the burden of proof on you.
- Do not rely on employee memory or informal notes
- Do not delete or discard records before five years have passed
- Do not round or estimate hours—record actual time
- Do not assume remote workers need no time tracking
- Do not treat time recording as optional for 'trusted' employees
- Consult your canton's labour office if your GAV has special rules
Frequently asked questions
- Can I use a simple spreadsheet or do I need software?
- A spreadsheet is legally valid. You do not need specialized software. What matters is that records are accurate, complete, daily, and retained for five years. Many SMEs use a shared calendar or time-clock app—the method is your choice, provided it meets those criteria.
- Do I have to track breaks?
- Yes. Breaks must be recorded because they reduce paid working time. An employee working 8:00–12:00 with a 15-minute unpaid break has worked 3.75 hours, not 4. This affects wage calculation and monthly overtime tallies.
- What happens if I do not keep records?
- Labour inspectorates can issue fines and back-pay orders. In wage disputes, Swiss courts presume the employee's claims are correct if you cannot produce records. You may be ordered to pay disputed hours at full rate plus interest. The burden is on you to prove what was actually worked.
General information for Swiss employers, not legal advice. Have a lawyer confirm anything with legal consequences.