Vacation days could be raised

Wednesday, 22 July 2026 at 06:30

A motion filed in the National Council would raise Switzerland's legal minimum holiday from four weeks to five for every employee.

The left says the change would bring low-wage sectors like agriculture into line with better-paid industries, arguing it is a matter of fairness.

Employers push back, warning that an extra week of paid leave would raise labour costs by around 2% a year.

For workers still stuck on the legal minimum, mainly in agriculture and other low-wage trades, it could mean a meaningful lift in their working year.

The motion now heads for parliamentary debate.

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