Check your Employment Contract

If the wage is right, the employment contract is quickly signed. However, it is highly recommended to take a closer look. Because the contract reveals a lot about the future employer. Before signing, you can use skillful negotiation to gain one or two advantages.

So it is particularly worth checking the following:

Do I have to work overtime?

If not mentioned in the contract, the law applies: overtime is compensated by time off of equal duration or by a wage supplement from ¼ to the normal wage. If the employment contract contains a provision regarding overtime, the regulation is usually worse. This is because the contract may deviate from the legal regulation -free work after work is permitted, as is the exclusive compensation of overtime through time off without financial compensation.

Can I work in my home office?

Flexible working time models are the order of the day. Technical progress makes it possible to work from any location. However, if there are no contractual provisions, the employer still determines where work is done.

Do I get a thirteenth month’s pay?

A lot of people think everyone is entitled to a thirteenth. That’s not so: The law is silent on the matter. Don’t rely on a verbal promise Written agreements are authoritative.

Does my bonus represent a salary component?

The law does not provide for a bonus either. It can be a variable or fixed salary component, depending on how clearly the contract states the assessment and payment criteria. Legally speaking, it can also be a voluntary bonus, even though the boss calls it a “bonus” in the contract. In this case, regardless of your performance, your employer alone decides whether the bonus is paid.

Tip: Gratuities and bonuses often lead to disputes. So take a close look at the wording in your employment contract.

What about maternity or paternity leave?

By law, maternity leave is 14 weeks at 80% pay. Many larger companies grant 16 weeks and more or increase the salary to 100 percent. Others also think of the fathers and grant them additional days of absence when a child is born, as there is no statutory paternity leave in Switzerland yet.