Working hours and wages in the domestic sector

As an employer of domestic staff in Geneva, it’s crucial to know the rules governing working hours and wages, as defined by the standard contract for the domestic economy (CTT ecodom). Here are the essential points.

Working hours

The full-time working time for domestic staff in Geneva is 45 hours a week. Both parties to the contract can agree in writing if they need more working hours.

Less than 45 hours is considered part-time. There is no minimum duration for the hiring of a domestic employee.

Overtime refers to hours worked more than the contractual duration, and may be compensated by equivalent time off, or paid with or without a supplement, depending on what is stipulated in the contract.  Overtime is generally paid at a rate of 25%, except for hours worked on Sundays and public holidays.

In addition, work between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. entitles the employee to special remuneration as defined in the Geneva ecodom collective labor agreement.

Hourly and monthly wages

The minimum wage in Geneva, set by the CTT ecodom, is compulsory. In 2024, a nanny with at least 4 years’ experience in the position must be paid a minimum of CHF 24.58/gross/hour.

To calculate the monthly salary: used when working hours are not very variable

– Monthly wage = (Number of hours worked per week × Hourly wage × 52 weeks) / 12 months

– Example: For an employee working 45 hours a week at CHF 24.58 per hour:

o Monthly Salary = (45 × CHF 24.58 × 52) / 12 = CHF 4’793.10

To calculate hourly wages: used when schedules vary from week to week

You need to include vacations and add a surcharge of 8.33% (for four weeks’ vacation) or 10.64% (for five weeks’ vacation). Thus, the hourly wage of CHF 24.58 gross becomes :

– For 4 weeks’ vacation: CHF 24.58 × 1.0833 = CHF 26.62

– For 5 weeks’ vacation: CHF 24.58 × 1.1064 = CHF 27.20

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