Switzerland issues gender pay audit criteria, deadlines 

September 06, 2019

Any Swiss employer with 100 or more employees will have to conduct its first gender pay gap analysis by 30 Jun 2021, the Federal Council announced in an ordinance (French) on 21 Aug 2019. The ordinance supplements a recent amendment to the Equality Act. Both measures will take effect on 1 Jul 2020 and expire on 1 Jul 2032.

Highlights

• The requirement for larger companies to analyze their gender pay equity will affect 0.9% of companies employing 46% of employees in Switzerland. Companies with fewer than 100 employees may voluntarily comply.
• Companies must use a “scientific and legally compliant method” to perform the equal pay analysis by 30 Jun 2021 and complete an audit of the analysis by 30 Jun 2022.
• Companies must hire independent auditors for the audits, which can use the public procurement model or another audit type. The ordinance sets out the required training for gender pay auditors.
• Audits must cover all employees and include all elements of remuneration. Employers must share the audit results with employees.
• Audits must take place every four years unless the first analysis finds no unexplained gender pay gap.

Related Resources

Non-Mercer Resources

• Press Release with Accompanying Ordinance and Explanatory Report (French) (Federal Council, 21 Aug 2019)

Mercer Law & Policy Resources

• Switzerland Advances Measures to Reduce Gender Pay Gap (22 May 2019)