Politics · Switzerland · 10 hrs ago
Swiss Senate committee backs changes to home-office rules
A Swiss Senate committee approved a revised plan to loosen work-time rules, after the National Council backed changes to the law for home-office work.
The proposal would extend the maximum daily work period from 14 to 17 hours and reduce the minimum rest period from 11 to nine hours.
The National Council’s version included a legal right to disconnect from work, but the Senate committee removed that provision, saying workers already have that right without it being written into law.
The committee also removed the National Council’s plan to allow up to five hours of work on as many as nine Sundays a year without a permit.
Supporters say the proposal would update employment law while keeping health protections, while the Socialist Party and Greens warn it could worsen working conditions and reduce protection for workers’ health.
The committee approved the proposal by seven votes to two, with three abstentions.
The Senate is due to consider it in its winter session.
The Swiss Senate’s Economic Affairs Committee backed a proposal to relax home-office rules, while seeking changes to the version approved by the National Council.
The committee voted 7 to 2 in favour, with 3 abstentions.
It wants to remove the proposed right to be unreachable and drop a provision allowing some Sunday work without a permit.
The committee said the Sunday-work change was intended as a compromise.
The bill is due to go before the Senate during its winter session.
- Who
- The Senate’s Economic Affairs Committee backed the proposal. The National Council had previously approved a version of it.
- What
- The committee supported changes to rules affecting home-office work, including removing two provisions from the bill.
- When
- The committee’s decision was reported on Tuesday; the article was published on 13 October 2026. The Senate is due to consider the bill during its winter session.
- Where
- Switzerland.
- Why
- The committee said the proposed right to be unreachable did not need to be written into law. It described dropping the Sunday-work provision as a compromise.
Supporters of the proposal
Opponents from the left
Working conditions
Supporters of the proposal
Supporters say the proposal updates employment law to reflect current conditions without neglecting health protection.
Opponents from the left
The SP and Greens fear worse working conditions and less health protection.
Approach
Supporters of the proposal
The committee wants to remove the explicit right to be unreachable, saying it applies even without being written into law.
Opponents from the left
Opponents say the proposal creates unnecessary bureaucracy and disregards solutions agreed between social partners and tailored to specific industries.
The National Council approved a version of the proposal after a debate, including changes to daily working-time limits and minimum rest periods.
The Senate committee’s decision was announced by parliamentary services.
The bill is due to go before the Senate.
- Committee vote
- 7 to 2, with 3 abstentions
- Daily working-time span proposed by National Council
- Increase from 14 to 17 hours
- Minimum rest period proposed by National Council
- Reduction from 11 to 9 hours
- Sunday work proposed by National Council
- Up to 5 hours on no more than 9 Sundays without a permit
- Next parliamentary stage
- Senate, during the winter session
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What people are saying
Frontal attack on labour law
Neither working from home nor high salaries automatically protect against stress, pressure and the health problems that follow.