Leave rules · 2026
Annual leave and sick leave rules in Switzerland (2026)
Employees in Switzerland get at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year on a 5-day week (4 weeks). Sick leave: paid.
Rules as of September 2026 · page built Monday, September 28, 2026Statutory minimums
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20 days a year (160 hours)
Statutory minimum 20 days on a 5-day week at 0 years of service.
This is the legal floor for Switzerland; the contract can give more.
| Service | Minimum (5-day week) | In weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting entitlement | 20 days | 4 weeks |
At least 4 weeks a year; 5 weeks for employees up to age 20 (Code of Obligations art. 329a).
Worked exampleA full-time employee on a 5-day week gets at least 20 days a year.
What the rules mean in practice
In Switzerland, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 4 weeks.
In Switzerland, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 4 weeks. The legal wording: At least 4 weeks a year; 5 weeks for employees up to age 20 (Code of Obligations art. 329a).
Compared with the other 37 jurisdictions LeaveCalc covers, that starting minimum is higher than 20, the same as 8 and lower than 9. Across all of them the range runs from 5 days (the Philippines) to 30 days (the United Arab Emirates). 20 days is about 7.7% of a 260-day working year.
No service-based step is recorded here, so the 20-day minimum applies at every length of service; the official source has the full rule.
Public holidays are set by each canton. For 2026, the public holiday calendar for Switzerland lists 4 holidays, 3 of them on working days.
Sick leave: Continued pay for a limited time that grows with service (Code of Obligations art. 324a); often replaced by daily-allowance insurance. LeaveCalc rates this entry High confidence, based on the official sources listed below as of September 2026.
Public holidays
Public holidays are set by each canton. See the 2026 and 2027 public holiday dates for Switzerland, with .ics downloads.
Sources
As of September 2026. Statutory minimums only: contracts, collective agreements and local rules can give more.
Questions about leave in Switzerland
The statutory minimum is 20 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (4 weeks).
How many days of annual leave do employees get in Switzerland?
The statutory minimum is 20 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (4 weeks). At least 4 weeks a year; 5 weeks for employees up to age 20 (Code of Obligations art. 329a).
Does annual leave increase with length of service in Switzerland?
No service-based step is recorded here for Switzerland: the statutory minimum stays at 20 days a year. Check the official source for the full rule.
Is sick leave paid in Switzerland?
Yes. Continued pay for a limited time that grows with service (Code of Obligations art. 324a); often replaced by daily-allowance insurance.
Are public holidays part of annual leave in Switzerland?
Public holidays are set by each canton. In 2026 the calendar for Switzerland has 4 public holidays, 3 of them on working days.