Resignation and employment references in Switzerland

For employees in Switzerland whose employer owes them wages, overtime or pay during illness: a written demand for payment listing the amounts, with the total, a deadline and the account. Overtime with the 25% supplement (Art. 321c para. 3 CO), pay during illness on your canton's court scale (Art. 324a CO), 5% default interest and a written pay statement (Art. 323b CO). Items left blank are dropped. Send it registered; conciliation that may follow is free of court costs up to CHF 30'000.00. Swiss authorities and courts work in their official language — German, French or Italian — so this English version is for dealings between private parties.

For employees in Switzerland, in Ticino for instance, who have been given notice, ordinary or with immediate effect, in Italian: the written request that the employer state the reasons in writing (Art. 335 para. 2 CO; for an immediate termination, Art. 337 para. 1 CO), with a deadline for the answer. The request does not accept the dismissal and reserves the objection for abuse, which must reach the employer before the notice period ends. Print, sign and send by registered post.

A resignation letter in Italian for employees in Switzerland, for example in Ticino: ends the employment with the contractual or statutory notice period (Art. 335c CO), or during probation with seven days or the period agreed in writing (Art. 335b CO), on the date you choose or else the next possible date. It asks for confirmation, a work certificate, the final pay with the salary certificate, and settles remaining holiday. The Code of Obligations requires no form, though contracts and collective agreements often do: print, sign, and send it registered or hand it over against a receipt.

For people working or who worked in Switzerland, in Italian: asks the employer for a full reference, an interim reference or a confirmation limited to the kind and length of the job (Art. 330a of the Code of Obligations, CO), or for the correction of an inaccurate or incomplete one, with the current wording, the wording wanted and a deadline. A reference can be asked for at any time, also while still employed. Print, sign and send by registered post.

For employees in Switzerland, in Ticino for instance, whose employer owes them wages, overtime or pay during illness, in Italian: a written demand for payment listing the amounts, with the total, a deadline and the account. Overtime with the 25% supplement (Art. 321c para. 3 CO), pay during illness on your canton's scale (Art. 324a CO), 5% default interest and a written pay statement (Art. 323b CO). Items left blank are dropped. Send it by registered post; the conciliation that may follow is free of court costs up to CHF 30'000.00.

For employees in Switzerland who have been given notice and consider it abusive: the written objection (Einsprache) under Art. 336b CO, which must reach the employer before the notice period ends, or the compensation of up to six months' wages (Art. 336a CO) is lost. With your reasons if you wish to give them, an offer to continue the employment and, if you do not yet have them, a request for the written reasons (Art. 335 para. 2 CO). Print, sign and send by registered post. Swiss authorities and courts work in their official language — German, French or Italian — so this English version is for dealings between private parties.

For employers and employees in Switzerland who want to end the employment by mutual agreement (Aufhebungsvereinbarung): the end date, at whose wish, work or release from work until then, pay, holiday and overtime, any severance payment, the concessions on each side, the reference, return of property, the non-compete and the settlement of claims within Art. 341 CO. The consequences for unemployment insurance are stated. Two signed copies. Swiss authorities and courts work in their official language — German, French or Italian — so this English version is for dealings between private parties.

For employees in Switzerland who have been given notice, ordinary or with immediate effect: the written request that the employer state the reasons in writing (Art. 335 para. 2 CO; for an immediate termination, Art. 337 para. 1 CO), with a deadline for the answer. The request does not accept the dismissal and reserves the objection for abuse, which must reach the employer before the notice period ends. Print, sign and send by registered post. Swiss authorities and courts work in their official language — German, French or Italian — so this English version is for dealings between private parties.

For employees in Switzerland, in Ticino for instance, who have been given notice and consider it abusive, in Italian: the written objection under Art. 336b CO, which must reach the employer before the notice period ends, or the compensation of up to six months' wages (Art. 336a CO) is lost. With your reasons if you wish to give them, an offer to continue the employment and, if you do not have them yet, a request for the written reasons (Art. 335 para. 2 CO). Print, sign and send by registered post.

For employees in French-speaking Switzerland whose employer owes them wages, overtime or pay during illness, in French: a written demand for payment listing the amounts, with the total, a deadline and the account. Overtime with the 25% supplement (Art. 321c para. 3 CO), pay during illness on your canton's scale (Art. 324a CO), 5% default interest and a written pay statement (Art. 323b CO). Items you leave blank are dropped. Send it by registered post; the conciliation that may follow is free of court costs up to CHF 30'000.00.

For employees in French-speaking Switzerland who have been dismissed, with notice or with immediate effect, in French: the written request that the employer state the reasons in writing (Art. 335 para. 2 CO; for an immediate termination, Art. 337 para. 1 CO), with a deadline for the answer. The request does not accept the dismissal and reserves the objection for abuse, which must reach the employer before the notice period ends. Print, sign and send by registered post.

For employees in French-speaking Switzerland who have been dismissed and consider the dismissal abusive, in French: the written objection under Art. 336b CO, which must reach the employer before the notice period ends, or the compensation of up to six months' wages (Art. 336a CO) is lost. With your reasons if you wish to give them, an offer to continue the employment and, if you do not have them yet, a request for the written reasons (Art. 335 para. 2 CO). Print, sign and send by registered post.

For employers and employees in French-speaking Switzerland who want to end the employment by mutual agreement, in French: the end date, at whose wish, work or release from work until then, pay, holiday and overtime, any severance payment, the concessions on each side, the reference, return of property, the non-compete and the settlement of claims within Art. 341 CO. The consequences for unemployment insurance are named. Two signed copies.

For employees in Switzerland whose employer owes them wages, overtime or pay during illness, in German: a written demand for payment with a breakdown, total, deadline and bank account. Overtime with the 25% supplement (Art. 321c para. 3 CO), pay during illness on your canton's court scale (Art. 324a CO), 5% default interest and a written pay statement (Art. 323b CO). Items you leave blank are dropped. Send it by registered post; the conciliation procedure that may follow is free of court costs up to CHF 30'000.00.

For employees in Switzerland who have been dismissed with notice or summarily, in German: the written request that the employer give the reasons for the dismissal in writing (Art. 335 para. 2 CO, or Art. 337 para. 1 CO for a summary dismissal), with a deadline for the answer. The request does not accept the dismissal and reserves the objection for abuse, which must reach the employer before the notice period ends. Print, sign and send by registered post.

For employers and employees in Switzerland who want to end an employment relationship by mutual agreement, in German: the end date, at whose wish, work or release from work until then, pay, holiday and overtime, any severance payment, the concessions each side makes, the reference, return of property, the non-compete and the settlement of claims within Art. 341 CO. The consequences for unemployment insurance are named. Both parties sign two copies.

For employees in Switzerland who have been dismissed and consider the dismissal abusive, in German: the written objection under Art. 336b CO. It must reach the employer before the notice period ends, or the compensation of up to six months' wages (Art. 336a CO) is lost. With your reasons if you wish to give them, an offer to keep working and, if you do not have them yet, a request for the written reasons (Art. 335 para. 2 CO). Print, sign and send by registered post.

A resignation letter in English for employees in Switzerland whose employer works in English: notice ending the employment with the contractual or statutory period (Art. 335c CO), or during probation seven days or the period agreed (Art. 335b CO), on the date you choose or else the next possible date, asking for confirmation, a reference (Arbeitszeugnis), the final pay and salary certificate (Lohnausweis), and settling remaining holiday. Send it by registered post or hand it over against a receipt. Swiss authorities and courts work in their official language — German, French or Italian — so this English version is for dealings between private parties.

For employees in Switzerland, in English: asks the employer for a full reference, an interim reference or a confirmation of employment (Arbeitszeugnis, Zwischenzeugnis, Arbeitsbestätigung) under Art. 330a CO, or for the correction of a reference that is wrong or incomplete, with the current and the requested wording and a deadline. You can ask at any time, also while still employed. Swiss authorities and courts work in their official language — German, French or Italian — so this English version is for dealings between private parties.

A resignation letter in French for employees in Switzerland: ends the employment with the contractual or statutory notice period (Art. 335c CO), or during probation with seven days or the period agreed (Art. 335b CO), on the date you choose or else the next possible date. It asks for confirmation, a work certificate (certificat de travail), the final pay with the salary certificate (certificat de salaire) and settles remaining holiday. The Code of Obligations requires no form, though contracts and collective agreements often do: print, sign, and send it registered or hand it over against a receipt.

For employees in Switzerland, in French: asks for a full work certificate (certificat de travail), an interim certificate or a confirmation of employment (attestation de travail) under Art. 330a CO, or for the correction of a certificate that is wrong or incomplete, quoting the current and the requested wording and setting a deadline. A certificate may be requested at any time, also while you are still employed. Print, sign and send it to the employer by registered post.

A resignation letter for employees in Switzerland, in German: notice ending the employment with the contractual or statutory period (Art. 335c CO), or during probation with seven days or the period agreed (Art. 335b CO), on the date you choose or else the next possible date. It asks for confirmation, a reference (Arbeitszeugnis), the final pay with the salary certificate (Lohnausweis) and settles remaining holiday. The Code of Obligations requires no form, but contracts and collective agreements often do: print, sign and send by registered post or hand it over against a receipt.

For employees in Switzerland, in German: asks for a full reference, an interim reference or a confirmation of employment under Art. 330a CO, or for the correction of a reference that is wrong or incomplete, giving the current and the requested wording and a deadline. You can ask for a reference at any time, also while you are still employed. Print, sign and send it to the employer by registered post.