Under the title "More than a third of Swiss people worked from home in 2020," the Swiss Info website reported that more than a third of employees in Switzerland worked from home at least for some time last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The numbers varied by sector, with those in information technology and communications logging the most hours working from home.
In a statement released on Monday, April 19, the Federal Statistical Office reported that 76.3% of employees in this sector worked from their homes throughout the year. The survey conducted by the office relied on data from the Swiss Labor Force Surveys for the years 2019 and 2020. The financial and insurance sector came in second, with 61.4% of required work done from home. Additionally, more than half of employees in education, training, professional services, and scientific and technical services also worked from home at least for some time.
Overall, 34.1% of employees worked remotely either full-time or part-time last year, compared to just 24.6% in 2019.
#### Legal Situation
Last year, the Swiss government repeatedly urged citizens to work from home whenever possible. However, practical and legal questions arose. Is there a legal right to work from home? Can an employer force employees to work from home? How are breaks handled during remote work?
According to the Swiss Employers' Association, there is no right to work from home in Switzerland. This means that an employee who decides to work from home without the employer's consent may face penalties. Even at the height of the pandemic, it was theoretically possible for workers in more vulnerable and precarious categories to be required to attend their workplaces.
On the other hand, the MME legal consulting firm in Zurich states that employers are also legally obligated to safeguard the health of their employees, and if a safe workplace or remote work option is not available, employees may legally remain home and receive full pay.
