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Request for or correction of an employment reference (Switzerland)
Switzerland · in English · for employees
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Made for use in Switzerland
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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.
- Made for use in Switzerland
- Last updated November 4, 2026
- Document in English
Published byDocMuse
When to use this document
- You work for an international company in Switzerland and want a reference letter in writing.
- The reference your Swiss employer gave you leaves out your main tasks or sounds negative.
- You need an interim reference while still employed in Switzerland, for example before a reorganisation.
- Your former employer in Switzerland is slow to send the reference you asked for.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Employee
- Employee's address
- Employer
- Employer's registered address
- City
- Date
- Job title
- Start date
- Date of termination
- What you ask for: full reference, interim reference, confirmation or correction
- Reason for an interim reference (e.g. a new manager)
- Passages to correct: current and requested wording, with reasons
- Deadline
Common questions
- What is the difference between an Arbeitszeugnis and an Arbeitsbestätigung?
- An Arbeitszeugnis is a full reference: the kind and length of your employment and an assessment of your performance and conduct (Art. 330a para. 1 CO). An Arbeitsbestätigung confirms only the kind and length, and is issued instead only if you expressly ask for it (Art. 330a para. 2 CO). A Zwischenzeugnis is a full reference issued while you are still employed. The letter lets you choose one.
- Can I ask for my Swiss reference to be written in English?
- The law does not say in which language a reference is written; it is usually the language of the workplace. You can ask for an English version, and many international employers provide one, but you cannot insist on it by law. If you need one for applications abroad, ask your employer for it; many agree. Swiss authorities and courts work in their official language — German, French or Italian — so this English version is for dealings between private parties.
- My employer will not correct an unfair reference — what next?
- Under case law a reference must be true and complete and worded with goodwill. If your written request with the proposed wording fails, you can bring a claim for correction before the conciliation authority (Schlichtungsbehörde) at the employer's seat or your usual place of work (Art. 34 CPC). Up to a value of CHF 30'000.00 no court costs are charged (Art. 113 para. 2 let. d, Art. 114 let. c CPC). Gather appraisals and e-mails that support your wording.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
Related documents
- Request for or correction of an employment reference, in German (Switzerland)
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.
- Request for or correction of a work certificate, in French (Switzerland)
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.
- Request for or correction of an employment reference, in Italian (Switzerland)
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.
- Request for the written reasons for a dismissal (Switzerland)
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.
- Resignation letter (Switzerland)
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.
- Request for the written reasons for a dismissal, in Italian (Switzerland)
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.