If you go to this link http://www.jobarea.ch/downloads/formulare/arbeitslos/ and then download the "Living and Working in Switzerland" document, http://www.jobarea.ch/dateien/Broschuere/Arbeit_E.pdf, on page 10, the document says,

"The entitlement to holidays is a basic
right which must be granted to all em-
ployees in each year of service. The statu-
tory stipulated annual minimum length
is as follows: five weeks for employees
and apprentices up to their completed
20th year; thereafter, four weeks; from
the 50th year, 5 weeks and from the 60th
year, 6 weeks of holiday per year."

This sounds like people over age 60 are entitled to 6 weeks of vacation per year, but I have not been able to find that same information anywhere else. I've been all over the seco.admin.ch website. I read something in another thread that hinted age discrimination in hiring was partially due to needing to give more vacation, but nothing more specific. I think I've also read that the weeks of holiday/vacation do not include the public holidays, correct?

Thanks for any help on this subject.

I don't know about the 6 weeks over 60 bit as I'm not there yet, but the move up from 4 to 5 weeks when you hit 50 is definitely correct.

I have seen this applied in different ways in different companies though. In the first place where I worked in Switzerland, everyone got 5 weeks and the over-50s got an extra (6th) week to maintain the difference.

More recently, I worked in a company where everyone got 5 weeks irrespective of age, there was no extra privilege for the over-50s.

Both of these were American companies.

And yes, public holidays are in addition to the 4/5/6 weeks.

I've always had 5 weeks, and got no extra once I hit 50. But both companies I have worked for here have been Swiss.

Tom

At that age Tom, you should just be grateful that you wake up in the morning

Yeah... I think the thing is, the law says "over 50 = 5 weeks" and not "over 50 = a week more than younger people", so companies who were already giving you 5 weeks beforehand have no obligation to increase it.

Can't really argue (although I was a bit miffed to lose my extra week only one year after first getting it!).

Well it is mentioned under "Wages" that conditions may vary from canton to canton, like you might work longer working hours but get more vacation etc.

The over 60 or over 50 thing also depends on what kind of profession you are exercising for some I think they even go on retirement earlier or something like that.

I think you need to find out with your employer what the exact policies are.

Thanks, Sada. The person I know in this situation is 61 and wants to understand the law before approaching the employer.

6 weeks at 60 is what I'm looking forward to in a few years. Sounds like it's pretty standard issue. Assuming I still have a job...

The "statutory minimum" for each full year of service you get 4 week minimum if you are over 20 years old, if you are under 20 years old you get 5 weeks vacation, unless you agree something else in your contract or as part of a collective bargaining agreement. Anything over that is agreed to with the employer in the contract. There is nothing in the law (that I've seen) that says more for over 50 or 60 year old.

Edit: 1In further investigation, I found that certain professions have different rules (I guess that's under the collective agreement thing) where some medical staff have a statutory minimum of 5 weeks.

Edit 2: Agricultural works get 5 weeks after age 50 & winery works vacation time is agreed to under the vintner's workers agreements.

Do I have to keep looking?

__________________

Thanks for your research, miniMia! Given what you say, it is strange that the government would publish the paragraph I quoted in my original post in what appears to be an official document. But I couldn't find that confirmed anywhere else either, which is why I was asking.

It's possible that there are cantonal differences and the brilliant person who wrote that was from a specific canton where that is true. (or took an old version of the English text?)

The federal law is this one:
http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/220/a329a.html#fn2

And for Vaud, I found nothing different except for what I listed above. I'm guessing you are looking for Vaud since you list Lausanne as your location.

The French version of that same brochures says the following:
"lES VACAnCES
Le droit aux vacances est un droit fon- damental que l’employeur doit accor- der à tout travailleur pour chaque an- née de service: cinq semaines pour les travailleurs et les apprentis jusqu’à l’âge de 20 ans révolus; quatre se- maines pour les travailleurs et les app- rentis âgés de plus de 20 ans révolus."

__________________

Oh well...that sure would have been nice if it were true!

And, yes, Canton Vaud is the relevant canton.

Thanks again, miniMia, for your help.

There was an initiative for '6 weeks of vacation for everyone' not too long ago.

This document basically gives details of that initiaitive with all the background and history of the weeks of vacation. It appears that the '6 weeks at 60' is pursant to the collective work agreements and not a federal law per se. However, it does seem to be 6 weeks for age 60+ in some cantons.

See the attached in French for more details. http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/ff/2010/4251.pdf

At my work, all workers have the right to 20 days of holidays, no matter the age. That's 4 weeks. The exception are the trainees (both under 20) that only get 2 weeks of holiday.

It's not nice, but it's according to the law 6 weeks would be nice though... *dreams of extra holiday*

http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/221_215_329_2/a11.html

That's the only generally applicable article I could find concerning holidays: after the age of 20 4 weeks holiday, before the age of 20 5 weeks.

So @Helm, those trainees at your place should be getting 5 full weeks paid holiday!

And 5 weeks until age 59 in VD! (last page)

Tom

Indeed, my daughters always had 5 weeks.

Tom

It might be something specific from their contract (since I was never a trainee in this company I don't know what's written in there). But when we talked to them about holidays, their answer was "hei, at least I have a job".

Will forward the info to them. Maybe it helps them somehow.

Wow, my hopes are going up and down and up today! But again, I can't find this on the vd.ch website, and the FAQ en droit du travail says nothing of it.

Yes it does - check out page 17 at the top.