Employing a Swiss Au pair

A Swiss Au pair must be at least 15 years old. He/she will live with you, as a member of your family. He/she will eat all meals with the family and his/her primary role will be to help you take care of your children, together with light housework.

Important: An Au pair’s right to privacy must be respected. They need to be given enough free time to learn the language in your country and to undertake their leisure-time activities.

What you should be aware of:

The Au pair’s mother tongue must be different from the language spoken by both the host family and the local community.

The Au pair is to have successfully completed standard compulsory education (high school).

Contract:

You will need to sign a contract of employment with your Au pair (in the case of underage Au pairs, in the presence of their legal guardian).

Accommodation:

The au pair is to be provided with his/her own bedroom, capable of being locked, and equipped with a radiator (for winter).

Working hours:

A working week is not to exceed 30 hours. The Au pair is entitled to one day off per week; two out of the four monthly days off must fall on a Sunday. The Au pair has the right to four weeks’ holiday if he/she is younger than 20 years old, and 5 weeks if he/she is older.

Termination of Contract:

The first month of employment is regarded as a probationary period. During this time, the contract can be terminated with a notice period of seven days applying.

After expiry of the probationary period, the employment contract can be terminated in writing at the end of a month, with a notice period of one month applying.

The termination of the employment contract, in accordance with Art.336.OR (Swiss Federal Legislation) is not to be misused.

Health insurance:

The host family must organise health and accident insurance for the Au pair.

Au pair’s salary:

The salary consists of a cash wage and wages in kind. The wages in kind include food, accommodation and laundry. The salary must be paid at the end of each month, accompanied by a payslip.

An amount of CHF 172 in food compensation must be paid monthly to the Au pair, as compensation for days off and holidays. The minimum salary for au pair varie according to the cantons. The informations related to the salary can be obtained from the office for economy and labour.

If you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are readily available to answer all your questions about our service and to help you find the ideal Au pair for you and your family.