Document
Retention Period
Beginning of Retention Period
Legal Reference
EMPLOYMENT RECORDS
Contracts (new hire agreements, severance, etc.)
Maximum 5 years (10 years in certain cases)
From employee termination
Art. 127 and Art. 128 Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five: The Code of Obligations) (Obligationenrecht, OR)
Time records (work hours, rest periods, vacation/sick/holiday, etc.)
Maximum 5 years (10 years in certain cases)
From employee termination
Art. 127 and Art. 128 Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five: The Code of Obligations) (Obligationenrecht, OR)
Performance records (performance reviews, promotions/demotions, licenses/certifications, investigations, disciplinary actions, etc.)
Maximum 5 years (10 years in certain cases)
From employee termination
Art. 127 and Art. 128 Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five: The Code of Obligations) (Obligationenrecht, OR)
Data and personnel files
Maximum 5 years (10 years in certain cases)
From employee termination
Art. 127 and Art. 128 Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five: The Code of Obligations) (Obligationenrecht, OR)
Government verification records (work papers, immigration, eligibility to work, etc.)
Minimum 10 years (15 years for tax documents); Maximum duration of company's life
From employee termination
Tax laws; Social security legislation; Public laws on immigration
Collective bargaining/union
Duration of company's life
N/A
Best practice based on Civil Procedure Code; Expiry of limitation period for claims
Background checks and drug tests
Hired employees: Duration of employment contract; Applicants who are not hired: Do not retain (except in case of potential litigation). Maximum is 10 years
Employees: Date of hire; Applicants who are not hired: From date of decision
Best Practice based on Data Protection laws
Acknowledgements, policy agreements and required notices
Duration of the company's life
N/A
Best practice based on Civil Procedure Code; Expiry of limitation period for claims
Recruitment (interview notes, resumes/CVs, reference checks, etc.)
Minimum duration of employment contract. No retention in case the employee is not hired (except in case of potential litigation). Maximum 10 years
Employees: From date of hire; Applicants who are not hired: From date of decision
Art. 127,Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five: The Code of Obligations) (Obligationenrecht, OR)
Tracking/recordings (biometric, geo-location, online tracking, camera recordings, etc.)
n/a not authorized in Switzerland
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Miscellaneous 1
Registration of work and rest periods (in appropriate format) for professional drivers: Minimum 2 years; Maximum 5 years (10 years in certain cases)
End of calendar year
Art. 23, Sec. 3 Ordinance on Work and Rest Periods of Professional Drivers of Light Vehicles for Transportation of Passengers and Heavy Cars (Verordnung über die Arbeits- und Ruhezeit der berufsmässigen Führer von leichten Personentransportfahrzeugen und schweren Personenwagen, ARV 2); Art. 127, Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five: The Code of Obligations) (Obligationenrecht, OR)
BENEFIT/PENSION/EQUITY RECORDS
Benefits (plan documents, enrollment records)
Minimum duration of employment contract; Maximum duration of company's life
From employee termination
Art. 127, Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five: The Code of Obligations) (Obligationenrecht, OR); expiry of the limitation period for claims arising from the employment contract; Best practice based on Data Protection laws
Pension and retirement records
10 years
From end of obligation to perform pension benefits
Art. 27j, Ordinance on Occupational Retirement, Survivors’ and Disability Pensions (Verordnung über die berufliche Alters-, Hinterlassenen- und Invalidenvorsorge, BVV 2)
Equity records
Maximum 5 years (10 years in certain cases)
From employee termination
Art. 127 and Art. 128 Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five: The Code of Obligations) (Obligationenrecht, OR)
PAYROLL/WAGE/TAX RECORDS
Payroll and wage data (payslips, etc.)
Minimum 10 years; Maximum 15 years
End of calendar year in which record was created
Art. 958f Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five: The Code of Obligations) (Obligationenrecht, OR), tax laws
Tax records
Minimum 10 years; Maximum 15 years
End of calendar year in which record was created
Art. 958f Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five: The Code of Obligations) (Obligationenrecht, OR), tax laws
MEDICAL/SAFETY/LEAVE RECORDS
Leave (family, medical, etc.)
Maximum 5 years
From employee termination
General Best Practice based on Data Protection laws
Injury and illness incident reports
Maximum 5 years
From employee termination
General Best Practice based on Data Protection laws
Medical records
Maximum 5 years
From employee termination
General Best Practice based on Data Protection laws
Hazardous material and other exposure records
Minimum 10 years; Maximum 40 years
From last use of material or last exposure
Art. 13, Sec. 2 and 3 Ordinance on the Protection of Workers from Risks related to Exposure to Biological Agents at Work (Verordnung über den Schutz der Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer vor Gefährdung durch Mikroorganismen, SAMV)
Miscellaneous 1
Floor plans: Duration of company's life
N/A
Civil Procedure Code. expiry of the limitation period for claims
Miscellaneous 2
Administration concerning measurements of radioactive substances and the results of these measurements: Duration of company's life; Maximum 40 years after end of company's life
end of company life
Art. 13, Sec. 2 and 3 Ordinance on the Protection of Workers from Risks related to Exposure to Biological Agents at Work (Verordnung über den Schutz der Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer vor Gefährdung durch Mikroorganismen, SAMV) in conjunction with Radiation Protection Ordinance (Strahlenschutzverordnung, StSV)
Miscellaneous 3
Records of radiation: Duration of company's life, Maximum 40 years
Miscellaneous 3
Art. 13, Sec. 2 and 3 Ordinance on the Protection of Workers from Risks related to Exposure to Biological Agents at Work (Verordnung über den Schutz der Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer vor Gefährdung durch Mikroorganismen, SAMV) in conjunction with Radiation Protection Ordinance (Strahlenschutzverordnung, StSV)
Ultimate Software's HR Compliance Assist team relies on a network of internal and external compliance experts and lawyers to provide clients with best practices and recommendations on topics such as HR document retention, employee data privacy, and HR electronic records. HR Compliance Assist also provides local compliance monitoring and alert services in select countries where Ultimate Software's customers have employees. HR Compliance Assist is a service exclusively available to Ultimate Software customers.
