Working hours

All ETH Zurich employees are entitled to a minimum of five weeks¡¯ annual holiday. From the year they turn 50, employees¡¯ annual holiday entitlement increases to six weeks.

ETH Zurich is closed during the period between Christmas and New Year. These free days must be compensated for in advance during the year or deducted from the employee¡¯s outstanding holiday entitlement.

Paid leave is granted in exceptional cases, for example if the employee is getting married, moving house or has to care for a sick person.

As a basic principle, it is possible to take unpaid leave. Requests for unpaid leave are approved where operational and organisational circumstances allow.

Irrespective of the length of time they have worked at ETH Zurich, expectant mothers are entitled to four months¡¯ maternity leave. They may begin their leave one month before their due date at the earliest. Half of the maternity leave can, on agreement, be taken in the form of a reduced level of employment.

If both parents work at ETH Zurich, it is possible for them to split the four months of leave between them, the father being entitled to a maximum of two months.

Two months¡¯ parental leave is granted to employees adopting a child under six years of age.

A male employee of the ETH Domain is granted ten days of paternity leave after the birth of his child.