Maternity leave in Switzerland: what you get and how to claim it
Updated October 13, 2026 · sources checked October 13, 2026
In short
Swiss maternity leave lasts at least 14 weeks from the day of birth. The federal allowance pays 80 % of your average earnings, up to CHF 220 a day, for up to 98 days, if you were AHV-insured for nine months before the birth and worked five of them. EU, EFTA and UK periods count. Geneva pays 16 weeks. The other parent gets two weeks.
The short version
As of October 2026, Swiss federal law gives you:
| What | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity leave | At least 14 weeks after the birth | Code of Obligations, art. 329f |
| Working ban | No work for 8 weeks after the birth; weeks 9 to 16 only with your consent | Labour Act, art. 35a |
| Maternity allowance | 80 % of average earnings, up to CHF 220 a day, for up to 98 days | AHV/IV Information Centre |
| Protection against dismissal | During pregnancy and 16 weeks after the birth (after probation) | Code of Obligations, art. 336c |
| Other parent | 2 weeks within 6 months, 80 % up to CHF 220 a day | Code of Obligations, art. 329g; AHV/IV |
| Geneva | 16 weeks, CHF 69 to 329.60 a day | Canton of Geneva |
There is no federal prenatal leave. This surprises many people arriving from countries where leave starts before the due date.
Who gets the maternity allowance
According to the AHV/IV Information Centre, you are entitled if, when your baby is born, you are:
- employed or self-employed;
- working in your husband's, family's or partner's business for a cash salary;
- unemployed and receiving, or entitled to, unemployment benefits;
- unable to work and receiving daily benefits calculated on a previous salary; or
- in a valid employment relationship whose pay or daily benefits have run out.
And you must have been insured under the AHV/AVS for the nine months immediately before the birth, and gainfully employed for at least five months in that time.
If you arrived recently
Periods of insurance and employment in an EU or EFTA member state and in the United Kingdom are counted. So if you worked in Germany until March and in Zurich from April, your German months count towards the nine. If you came from another country, the AHV/IV page names only EU, EFTA and UK periods: ask your compensation office how your own months are treated.
If your baby is born early
| Baby born | AHV months needed |
|---|---|
| After the 9th month of pregnancy | 9 |
| Before the 9th month | 8 |
| Before the 8th month | 7 |
| Before the 7th month | 6 |
How much you receive
The allowance is 80 % of your average earnings before the birth, with a maximum of CHF 220 a day. The maximum is reached at a monthly income of CHF 8 250 (8 250 x 0.8 / 30 = 220), or an annual income of CHF 99 000 if you are self-employed.
| Average monthly salary | Daily allowance | Over the full 98 days |
|---|---|---|
| CHF 4 500 | CHF 120 | CHF 11 760 |
| CHF 6 000 | CHF 160 | CHF 15 680 |
| CHF 8 250 or more | CHF 220 | CHF 21 560 |
Illustrations of the official formula, before social contributions: the allowance is subject to AHV/IV/EO contributions, and unemployment insurance contributions for employees.
Three practical points:
- Unpaid leave before the birth can lower the allowance, because it lowers your average earnings. The AHV/IV Information Centre warns about this explicitly.
- Going back to work ends it. If you return to work during the 98 days, even part-time, the entitlement stops.
- Your employer may pay more. Many contracts and collective agreements pay full salary for 14 or 16 weeks. Then the compensation office pays the allowance to the employer, who pays your salary.
If your baby stays in hospital
If your baby must stay in hospital more than 14 days directly after the birth, the allowance is extended by the days in hospital, up to 56 days. You state the length of the stay on the form, add a medical certificate and show that you will go back to work after the leave. Your leave and your protection against dismissal are extended in the same way.
How to claim
- Employees apply through their employer with form 318.750. The employer certifies how long you have worked there and your salary.
- Self-employed, unemployed or sick mothers apply directly to their compensation office.
- You can claim up to five years after the end of the 14 weeks, but apply in the first weeks.
- The allowance is paid at the end of each month, or in one go at the end of the leave if it is under CHF 200 a month.
Accident insurance continues during the leave, and occupational pension cover stays at the same level.
Geneva: 16 weeks
The canton of Geneva has its own maternity insurance. As of October 2026, it states that paid maternity leave in Geneva is 16 weeks instead of 14, and that the Geneva allowance is 80 % of the salary insured under accident insurance, with a minimum of CHF 69 and a maximum of CHF 329.60 per day. Adoptive parents also have a Geneva benefit from the child's placement. Your employer's compensation office handles it. In other cantons, ask HR whether a cantonal or contractual supplement applies to you.
Your rights at work during pregnancy
| Protection | What it means |
|---|---|
| No dismissal | After probation, no notice during pregnancy and 16 weeks after the birth; notice given then is void |
| Consent | Pregnant and breastfeeding women work only with their consent |
| Leaving work | You may stay away or leave work just by informing your employer (pay depends on your contract or a medical certificate) |
| Hours | Not beyond your normal daily hours, never more than 9 hours |
| Nights | No work from 20:00 to 06:00 in the 8 weeks before the birth; if you work nights, your employer must offer equivalent day work where possible, or pay 80 % |
| Standing jobs | From the 4th month, 12 hours' daily rest and a 10-minute break every 2 hours; from the 6th month, at most 4 hours standing a day |
| Dangerous work | Only after a risk assessment; otherwise transfer to safe work, or 80 % pay if no equivalent work exists |
| Holidays | Not reduced for up to two months of pregnancy-related absence, nor for maternity leave |
Sources: Labour Act art. 35 to 35b, Ordinance 1 art. 60 to 64, Code of Obligations art. 329b and 336c.
Breastfeeding when you go back
Your employer must give you the time you need to breastfeed or pump. In your baby's first year, at least part of it is paid working time: 30 minutes for a working day of up to 4 hours, 60 minutes for more than 4 hours, 90 minutes for more than 7 hours (Ordinance 1, art. 60).
The other parent's two weeks
The father, or the mother's wife when she is the legal parent, is entitled to two weeks of leave to be taken within six months of the birth, in one block or as days. A man who becomes the legal father within six months (for example by recognition) also qualifies. The allowance is 80 % of earnings up to CHF 220 a day, for 14 daily allowances, with the same nine-month and five-month conditions (EU, EFTA and UK periods count). Employees apply through their employer with form 318.747; it is paid after the last day of leave.
For the partner
Check your own nine months of AHV insurance now, agree your dates with HR early, and consider keeping one week for when your partner goes back to work.
Checklist
The complete picture, with family allowances for all 26 cantons and the paperwork for your baby, is in our Switzerland expat hub.
Questions parents ask
Is there maternity leave before the birth in Switzerland?
No. Federal maternity leave starts on the day of birth. If you cannot work before, you need a medical certificate (sick leave). Pregnant employees may, however, stay away from work simply by informing the employer, and may not work between 20:00 and 06:00 in the 8 weeks before the birth.
How much is the Swiss maternity allowance?
80 % of your average earnings before the birth, up to CHF 220 a day. The maximum is reached at a monthly salary of CHF 8 250, or an annual self-employed income of CHF 99 000.
I moved to Switzerland recently. Do I qualify?
You need nine months of AHV insurance before the birth and five months of work in that period. Periods of insurance and employment in an EU or EFTA country and in the United Kingdom are counted.
Can I be fired while pregnant in Switzerland?
After the probation period, your employer may not give notice during your pregnancy and the 16 weeks after the birth. Notice given during that period is void.
How long is paternity leave in Switzerland?
Two weeks for the father or the mother's wife, to be taken within six months of the birth, in one block or as single days, paid at 80 % up to CHF 220 a day.
Sources
- AHV/IV Information Centre — Maternity allowance checked October 13, 2026
- AHV/IV Information Centre — Allowance for the other parent checked October 13, 2026
- Fedlex — Code of Obligations, SR 220 (articles 329b, 329f, 329g, 336c) checked October 13, 2026
- Fedlex — Labour Act, SR 822.11 (articles 35, 35a, 35b) checked October 13, 2026
- Fedlex — Ordinance 1 to the Labour Act, SR 822.111 (articles 60 to 64) checked October 13, 2026
- Canton of Geneva — Fonds cantonal de compensation de l'assurance-maternité checked October 13, 2026
Mamavela explains; it does not replace your midwife, doctor or pediatrician, who know your situation. If something worries you, call them. In an emergency, call 911 (US), 999 (UK) or 112.