When you arrive in Switzerland and hear people talking about the treizième salaire, many take it for granted as if it were part of the system, just like the AVS or health insurance. It isn’t. The 13th month’s salary for employees is not required by the Swiss Code of Obligations. If it isn’t specified in your individual contract or in the Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) governing your sector, you have no right to claim it. Full stop.
That said, in practice it affects the vast majority. It is estimated that around 70% of employees in Switzerland receive it, as many sectors have included it in their collective agreements: construction, hospitality, retail, banking… If you work in one of these sectors, you are probably already receiving it without having asked for it. If not, it is worth reading your contract carefully before signing.
When it is paid, the calculation is simple: it amounts to one twelfth of your gross annual salary, in other words, a full month’s extra pay. It is usually paid in December, although some contracts split it between June and December. And if you leave your job mid-year, you are entitled to a pro-rata payment, regardless of the reason for leaving. However, you do need to request it: it isn’t always calculated automatically. As for tax, there is no advantage: it is taxed exactly the same as any other month’s salary, with all the usual deductions.
It is important not to confuse the two: this 13th month’s salary for employees has nothing to do with the 13th AVS pension approved by referendum for pensioners, which came into force in 2025. They are two different things, even though the number is the same.