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Request for the written reasons for a dismissal (Switzerland)
Switzerland · in English · for employees
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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.
- Made for use in Switzerland
- Last updated November 4, 2026
- Document in English
Published byDocMuse
When to use this document
- You were given notice in Switzerland and nobody told you why.
- Your employer dismissed you with immediate effect and gave no reason.
- You want the reasons in writing before deciding whether to object.
- The unemployment fund is asking you why your job ended.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Employee
- Employee's address
- Employer
- Employer's registered address
- City
- Date
- Date of the notice
- Date the notice of dismissal reached you
- Kind of dismissal: with notice, or summary (without notice)
- Date of termination
- Deadline
Common questions
- How do I get my Swiss employer to put the reasons for my dismissal on paper?
- Ask for them: the party giving notice must state the reasons in writing at the other's request (Art. 335 para. 2 CO), and so must an employer terminating with immediate effect (Art. 337 para. 1 CO). The law sets no deadline or form for the request; this letter, sent by registered post (Einschreiben), keeps the proof and sets a date for the answer. A dismissal without reasons stays valid, but the reasons let you judge whether it may be abusive. Swiss authorities and courts work in their official language — German, French or Italian — so this English version is for dealings between private parties.
- Does waiting for the reasons stop the clock on objecting to a Swiss dismissal?
- No. If you consider the dismissal abusive (Art. 336 CO), your written objection must reach the employer before the notice period ends (Art. 336b para. 1 CO), however slow the reasons are. Without it, the compensation of up to six months' wages is lost; after it, the claim must be brought within 180 days of the end of the employment. The two letters can be sent together.
- Why do written dismissal reasons matter at the RAV and the unemployment fund?
- The unemployment fund asks why the employment ended, to examine whether you are unemployed through your own fault (Art. 30 AVIG), and with this letter the employer's reasons are on paper. They also help you check your reference and discuss continuing or an agreement to end the job. Register with the regional employment office (RAV in German-speaking cantons, ORP in French, URC in Italian) at the latest on your first day without work, online at job-room.ch.
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
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Related documents
- Objection to an abusive dismissal (Switzerland)
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.
- Request for the written reasons for a dismissal, in German (Switzerland)
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.
- 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.
- Request for the written reasons for a dismissal, in French (Switzerland)
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.
- 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 (Switzerland)
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.