Notice period calculator · Switzerland 2026
How much notice your employer must give, by years of service. Set your hire date and last day in the calculator below.
9.8 years of service. Set your hire date and last day in the calculator below.
Notice by years of service ↓…
Notice periods in Switzerland 2026
The notice an employer must give often grows with the years you have worked for them. The calculator above works out your notice period from your hire date and last day, together with severance and final pay.
The rules in brief
- Notice and severance: After the probation period the notice is 1 month in the first year of service, 2 months from the second to the ninth year and 3 months after that, always to the end of a month (contracts may set longer periods). There is no general severance pay: only workers aged 50 or more with 20 years at the employer are owed 2 to 8 months’ pay, reduced by what the employer’s pension fund pays.
Notice from your employer, by years of service (Code of Obligations art. 335c)
| Years with the employer | Notice period |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2 months (to the end of a month) |
| 2 | 2 months (to the end of a month) |
| 3 | 2 months (to the end of a month) |
| 5 | 2 months (to the end of a month) |
| 8 | 2 months (to the end of a month) |
| 10 | 3 months (to the end of a month) |
| 12 | 3 months (to the end of a month) |
| 15 | 3 months (to the end of a month) |
| 20 | 3 months (to the end of a month) |
| 25 | 3 months (to the end of a month) |
These are the legal minimums. A contract or collective agreement can give longer notice.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the notice period after 5 years in Switzerland?
2 months (to the end of a month).
Can my contract give more notice?
Yes. A contract or collective agreement can give more than the legal minimum, but not less.
Rules and official sources: see “Rules applied (2026)” in the calculator. Last checked: October 2026. Estimates for information, not financial advice.
Other questions about pay in Switzerland: What is my hourly wage? · What do I take home part-time? · How much unemployment benefit would I get? · When can I retire? · What is my money worth after inflation?