EXPLAINED: What you should know if you want to quit your job in Switzerland
Nobody wants to be fired from their jobs — whether in Switzerland or elsewhere — but if you want to leave voluntarily because you found another position, there are some steps you must follow.
If you find a new job, leaving your old one behind is certainly easier on your mental state than being let go by your employer.
However, you can’t just get up and go, shouting ‘I QUIT!’ on your way out the door (but you already know this, don't you?).
Even if you are unhappy at your current job, upset with your employer or co-workers, you must still follow certain rules before you resign.
Let the work contract be your guide
Under Swiss law, either the employer or the employee can terminate the work contract at any time, without having to give the reason for doing so.
In the first case, you are being fired, and in the second, you are the one resigning.
Either way, before you act, read your employment agreement to see what steps you should follow. (In some cases, you will have an individual contract, while in others, your employment could be subject to a collective agreement that is negotiated between Switzerland’s trade unions and employers or employer organisations).
READ ALSO: What is a Swiss collective bargaining agreement — and how could it benefit you?
For instance, among other relevant information, your contract may specify whether you must submit your resignation in writing. If it doesn’t address this point, it means you can also do this verbally, though the first option is more official and leaves no room for any misunderstandings.
But more about this later. Before you write and send your letter, see what your contract says about the required notice period — that is, the length of time during which you have to continue working after resigning.
If no specific timeframe is mentioned, then the following notice periods apply, according to the government information site:
During the first year of employment: one month, from the last day of the month.
From the second to the ninth year of employment: two months, from the last day of the month.
And after the 10th year of employment: three months, from the last day of the month.
Once you know the required notice periods, you can time your resignation letter accordingly.
The official format
The letter should be succinct and matter-of-fact, its only purpose being to inform your employer of your resignation.
Under no circumstances should you vent your grudges or discuss any personal issues (if indeed there are any).
To avoid any conflict, the letter should only include the following information:
- Your name and address as well as the employer’s
- The employment contract that you are terminating (reference number)
- Title of your current position
- The date of the resignation and the date of the termination notice
- Your signature
If you want to make sure the employer receives your letter, send it by registered post.
Anyone in Switzerland receiving such mail must sign for it, which serves as proof that the letter was delivered.
What happens next?
If you have another job lined up, that’s great.
If not, you have the right to receive unemployment benefits, regardless of whether you are a Swiss or foreign national. If you have been legally working in Switzerland and contributing to the social insurance scheme, then you are entitled to receive unemployment benefits.
However, when it comes to benefits, not everyone receives the same.
If you have a permit C or B — as is the case for most foreign workers in Switzerland — you will receive unemployment benefits, as long as you have been working in Switzerland for at least 12 months in the last two years and have been living in the country full time during that period.
READ ALSO: Which foreign workers are entitled to unemployment benefits in Switzerland?
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If you find a new job, leaving your old one behind is certainly easier on your mental state than being let go by your employer.
However, you can’t just get up and go, shouting ‘I QUIT!’ on your way out the door (but you already know this, don't you?).
Even if you are unhappy at your current job, upset with your employer or co-workers, you must still follow certain rules before you resign.
Let the work contract be your guide
Under Swiss law, either the employer or the employee can terminate the work contract at any time, without having to give the reason for doing so.
In the first case, you are being fired, and in the second, you are the one resigning.
Either way, before you act, read your employment agreement to see what steps you should follow. (In some cases, you will have an individual contract, while in others, your employment could be subject to a collective agreement that is negotiated between Switzerland’s trade unions and employers or employer organisations).
READ ALSO: What is a Swiss collective bargaining agreement — and how could it benefit you?
For instance, among other relevant information, your contract may specify whether you must submit your resignation in writing. If it doesn’t address this point, it means you can also do this verbally, though the first option is more official and leaves no room for any misunderstandings.
But more about this later. Before you write and send your letter, see what your contract says about the required notice period — that is, the length of time during which you have to continue working after resigning.
If no specific timeframe is mentioned, then the following notice periods apply, according to the government information site:
During the first year of employment: one month, from the last day of the month.
From the second to the ninth year of employment: two months, from the last day of the month.
And after the 10th year of employment: three months, from the last day of the month.
Once you know the required notice periods, you can time your resignation letter accordingly.
The official format
The letter should be succinct and matter-of-fact, its only purpose being to inform your employer of your resignation.
Under no circumstances should you vent your grudges or discuss any personal issues (if indeed there are any).
To avoid any conflict, the letter should only include the following information:
- Your name and address as well as the employer’s
- The employment contract that you are terminating (reference number)
- Title of your current position
- The date of the resignation and the date of the termination notice
- Your signature
If you want to make sure the employer receives your letter, send it by registered post.
Anyone in Switzerland receiving such mail must sign for it, which serves as proof that the letter was delivered.
What happens next?
If you have another job lined up, that’s great.
If not, you have the right to receive unemployment benefits, regardless of whether you are a Swiss or foreign national. If you have been legally working in Switzerland and contributing to the social insurance scheme, then you are entitled to receive unemployment benefits.
However, when it comes to benefits, not everyone receives the same.
If you have a permit C or B — as is the case for most foreign workers in Switzerland — you will receive unemployment benefits, as long as you have been working in Switzerland for at least 12 months in the last two years and have been living in the country full time during that period.
READ ALSO: Which foreign workers are entitled to unemployment benefits in Switzerland?
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