Key points of a work certificate
Employer’s Obligation Employers in Switzerland are required to provide a work certificate upon request. Employees can ask for a work certificate at any time. The certificate can be issued as an interim certificate during the course of employment and as a final certificate upon termination of employment.
Issuance Timeline While Swiss law does not specify a deadline for issuing a work certificate, it is common practice for employers to provide it within a few days of an employee’s request. For a final work certificate issued at the end of employment, it should be provided within a reasonable timeframe. Employees can request a work certificate from their employer or, if the employer refuses, seek judicial intervention within ten years of employment termination.
Necessary information
The employer must include the following details in the work certificate:
- Identification of the employee and the employer
- Start and end dates of the employment
- Detailed list of the employee’s key functions and main activities during the employment, along with their duration
- Conclusive assessment of the employee’s performance (quality and quantity of work)
- Evaluation of the employee’s behavior
- Legal signature of the employer and the date of issuance
Format
The work certificate must be in written form, with clear and comprehensible language.
Final or interim certificate
Every employee is entitled to a comprehensive work certificate, which must include an evaluation of both behavior and work quality. Employees can also request an interim certificate at any time for reasons such as a change in supervisor, transfer to another business unit, restructuring affecting the employee, application to an educational institution, serious intent to change jobs, or impending contract termination. The interim certificate should be written in the present tense, even if the end of employment is foreseeable (e.g., during the notice period). There is no right to a periodic certificate. The content of an interim certificate is the same as that of a final work certificate.
Truthful and benevolent
The work certificate must contain only truthful statements presented in a benevolent manner. In practice, this balance can be challenging, especially when addressing negative aspects. Negative facts should be included only if they are relevant to the overall assessment of the employee. Isolated incidents or trivial matters should not be mentioned.
The issue of prolonged absences due to long-term illness often arises. According to the Federal Supreme Court, a negative fact should be included if it is relevant to the overall assessment. For example, if an illness significantly impacted performance or behavior, or if there were doubts about the employee’s ability to perform their duties, it should be mentioned. Long work interruptions due to illness should be noted when they are significant relative to the total duration of employment and when omitting them could mislead regarding the professional experience gained. However, each case should be considered individually.
