Switzerland

Switzerland is one of the most interesting jurisdictions in Europe in terms of its cultural mix and the structure of its ‘canton’ system. It is a jurisdiction in which there are four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh, the first three of which are officially recognised. Employers would need think about how they organise their employment documents from a language point of view. The country is also a Federation and is divided into 26 ‘cantons’, which are effectively districts. The principal law governing employment in Switzerland is the Code of Obligations. The legal framework in Switzerland essentially comprises of case law, Federal law and local cantonal law.