By Salvador Jovells, clino.ch
The day your cleaner, nanny or babysitter starts, you become an employer, from the very first franc, even for two hours a week. That means social contributions (AVS), accident insurance and a payslip. In Geneva and Vaud there are three ways to handle it.
1. Geneva: Chèque service
Geneva is the only canton with its own scheme, run since 2008 by the non-profit foundation PRO. You report the hours; they calculate the contributions, collect them from you and pay them to the right funds. The fee is 5.98% of the gross wage below 8 hours a week and 5.48% from 8 hours, capped at CHF 2,200 per year and contract. Everything happens in French.
2. Vaud: Chèques-emploi
In Vaud, the association EPER runs Chèques-emploi. It works the same way, for a fee of 5% of the gross wage, capped at CHF 70 a month (CHF 98 above the pension-fund threshold). It covers Vaud only and does not find staff for you.
3. Clino: your own contract, in English clino.ch
You can also employ directly: register with the cantonal compensation fund, take out accident insurance and do the monthly payslips. That is where most families get lost, and it is why we built Clino. It prepares the employment contract, the registration, the accident insurance and every payslip, in English, for a flat CHF 19.90 a month in all 26 cantons. You stay in control: you sign, and you pay the contributions straight to the fund.
What does that look like in francs?
Take a cleaner who comes 4 hours a week at CHF 30 an hour, about CHF 520 a month gross.
- Chèque service (Geneva): about CHF 31 a month, or CHF 373 a year
- Chèques-emploi (Vaud): about CHF 26 a month, or CHF 312 a year
- Clino: CHF 19.90 a month, or CHF 239 a year, whatever the hours
The cheque schemes also pay the contributions in for you; with Clino you pay them yourself. As the hours grow, a percentage fee grows with them and a flat fee does not. Our free calculator compares both with your own numbers: clino.ch/en/blog/cheque-service-vs-clino
What stays the same, whichever you choose
You remain the legal employer, even with a cheque scheme: holidays, sick pay and notice are on you.
Contributions are due from the first franc. The only exception is a young person under age 25 earning at most CHF 750 a year from your household.
Accident insurance is compulsory from the first hour. From 8 hours a week with you, it also covers accidents outside work.
Minimum wages apply. In Geneva a household worker without qualifications earns at least CHF 24.59 an hour, more with experience or a diploma. Vaud has its own standard contract for household staff.
At least four weeks of paid holiday a year (five up to age 20). Paying by the hour? Add 8.33% holiday pay.
Above CHF 22,680 a year, a pension fund (BVG/LPP) is required too.
Which one is right for you?
One person, a few hours, happy in French? The cantonal scheme is a good, simple choice. Prefer English, employ more than one person, or want a fixed price as the hours grow? Clino is built for you.
Whatever you choose, sort it out before the first day of work. A declared job protects the person in your home, and you.
About the author
Salvador Jovells is the founder of Clino (clino.ch), a Swiss tool that helps families hire and pay household help legally, in English, in all 26 cantons.
