Employers covered by the Swiss Labour Act generally need to retain the working-time information required for enforcement. Defined exclusions, simplified models and a narrow waiver route apply.
Standard recording under Article 73
Standard records normally cover identity and employment period, daily and weekly hours, compensatory and overtime hours and their timing, relevant breaks and rest days, plus statutory supplements. Start and finish therefore matter in the standard model.
Retain records for at least five years
Records required under the Labour Act generally need to be retained for at least five years after their validity ends. Other legal or contractual obligations may require longer.
Simplified recording under Article 73b
For employees with significant autonomy over their working time, daily total may generally be sufficient when the legal conditions are met. Night and Sunday work still requires start and finish. Agreements, safeguards and—at businesses under 50 people—a documented annual workload discussion matter.
The Article 73a waiver is narrow
It applies only when all conditions are met: an applicable collective agreement, high work/time autonomy, gross annual income above CHF120,000 including bonuses, and individual written consent.
No particular technology is prescribed
Paper, calendars, Excel, software or smartphones can in principle be used if records reflect reality, can be checked and can be corrected where necessary.
Privacy and proportionality
Working-time records are personal data. Employers remain responsible, need transparent, purpose-limited and proportionate processing, and should restrict access. Systems must not be aimed primarily at monitoring behaviour.