Pay: no single federal minimum, the contract and the CLA count
Updated on October 24, 2026
Article 322 of the Code of Obligations requires the employer to pay the agreed or customary wage. The Confederation has not set one minimum wage for the whole country. A collective agreement may impose minima on an industry, and some cantons have adopted their own floor for people working on their territory. Wages are paid at the end of the month unless custom or agreement says otherwise.
Where to check the floor
The written contract, the applicable collective agreement and, where relevant, cantonal law are read together. An extended collective agreement also binds employers in the industry who did not sign it.