Working hours in building services

Who does the CLA apply to?

The CLA for the Swiss building services industry has been declared generally binding. It applies to all executing businesses in the industry – such as plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and sheet-metal work – even without membership in the suissetec association. Pure planning firms are not covered.

The cantons of Geneva, Vaud and Valais have their own rules.

Working hours

• Normal working time is 40 hours per week.
• Annual working time in 2026 is 2,088 hours – counted over all weekdays including public holidays, excluding Saturdays and Sundays.
• The statutory maximum under the Labour Act must always be respected.

Overtime: two accounts

The CLA distinguishes two kinds of overtime, kept separately:

• Account A – hours between 40 and 45 per week: generally compensated with time off of equal length within the same calendar year, without a bonus.
• Account B – hours above 45 per week: earn a 25% bonus in time or money and are settled at year-end, or every six months at the employee's request.

Because both accounts are calculated week by week, a simple monthly balance is not enough – you need records per day and week.

Bonuses for evening, night and Sunday work

• Sunday and public-holiday work: 100% bonus
• Evening work from 8 pm to 11 pm: 25% bonus if more than 8 hours were worked that day
• Temporary night work from 11 pm to 6 am: 50% bonus (for fewer than 25 nights per calendar year)

Travel time

• The journey between home and the contractual place of employment is not paid working time.
• Trips from the place of employment to the site and between sites count as paid working time.

Mandatory time records

The CLA requires businesses to record their employees' working hours. Businesses without time records risk a contractual penalty when inspected by the joint commission. If the records are traceable but do not meet every requirement, the penalty may be reduced.

Holidays

• Up to age 20: 27 days
• Age 21 to 49: 25 days
• Age 50 to 54: 27 days
• Age 55 to 60: 28 days
• Age 61 to 65: 30 days

What the Labour Act adds

• Daily and weekly working hours including overtime, and breaks of 30 minutes or more, must be recorded (Art. 46 ArG, Art. 73 ArGV 1).
• Records must be kept for at least 5 years.
• Night and Sunday work generally requires official authorisation.

Minimum wages and 13th month's salary

Minimum wages by category and the 13th month's salary are set in the CLA. You will find the current rates at suissetec and the joint commission (links below).