As Swiss Thermometers Hit 30°C, One Employer Shortens the Workday – and Still Pays Full Wages
Published on 07/16/2026 at 09:55 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
When the mercury touches 30 degrees Celsius, the 17 employees of an Allschwil-based building maintenance company can pack up and head home by noon. Their pay does not shrink. The firm, Zwüpack, has slashed the working day from 8.4 hours to 6 hours whenever the temperature reaches that threshold. For roughly three weeks, since the current heatwave began, management has applied the rule almost continuously.
Geschäftsleiter Mischa Blattner says he has yet to see any economic downside. The measure comes against a stark backdrop: the first half of July 2026 in Switzerland was a record 4.4°C warmer than the 1991–2020 average. Basel alone has already clocked eleven heat days, double the usual count for that period.
The decision is grounded in hard data from the Swiss accident insurance fund Suva: once the thermometer passes 30°C, on-the-job accident risk jumps by about 7 percent. Heat saps concentration and hastens exhaustion – a lethal combination in manual trades and outdoor work. Yet Swiss labour law grants no legal right to heat-free work. The call rests entirely with employers.
Speaking of employer responsibility in extreme conditions — documenting heat risks properly is essential for workplace safety, yet many firms lack structured risk assessments for temperature-related hazards. A free Risk Assessment Toolkit with 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists helps you identify, document, and control such risks, from heat stress to manual handling. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
Heat tension is flaring elsewhere. On 14 July, nursing staff at the University Hospital Geneva staged a protest as indoor temperatures in the clinics reached 34°C. The VPOD and SIT unions demanded more than the 15-minute extra breaks and ice-cream distribution the hospital had already offered. Management did convene a crisis team in response.
Meanwhile, the dress-code debate simmers. At Swiss Re, Switzerland chief Gianfranco Lot has ruled out shorts for male colleagues, calling them weekend-only attire. A survey of 3,600 participants, however, found two-thirds consider shorts acceptable in the office – especially when there is no client contact. Some other insurers in the region have already loosened their policies.
The dry spell also hits the city’s greenery. Basel’s municipal gardening service reports six-figure additional costs to keep young beeches, maples, and other trees alive. Own staff are insufficient; external help has been called in.
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