Consequences
Cleaner not registered: what really happens?
Honestly: often nothing happens for years - which is why so many people do it. But the risk doesn't disappear, it builds up. Three situations bring it to light, and then it gets expensive. Here's what realistically awaits you - and how to fix it cheaply.
As long as nothing happens, it usually goes unnoticed. But if there's an AVS audit, an accident or a dispute with the cleaner, you face: back-payment of social contributions, as a rule up to 5 years back, plus 5 % default interest, a monetary penalty of up to 180 daily units (AHVG Art. 87) and - in the event of an accident with no insurance - the Ersatzkasse UVG's bill: it pays your cleaner the statutory benefits and charges you the missed premiums for up to 5 years (Art. 95 UVG).
- Back-payment of AVS/AC/UVG retroactively for up to 5 years + 5 % default interest.
- Penalty up to 180 daily units (undeclared work, AHVG Art. 87); for tax evasion up to 3× the evaded tax.
- Accident with no UVG: the Ersatzkasse pays her the benefits and bills you the premiums for up to 5 years (Art. 95 UVG).
This applies when
You employ a cleaner in cash or unregistered and wonder what can happen.
How does it even come to light?
Nobody rings your doorbell to inspect your home. The problem almost always surfaces via one of these three routes - and precisely when you can least afford it.
1. The AVS audit
The compensation offices carry out employer audits and cross-check data. If your cleaner later registers with another household or claims AVS benefits, the missing contribution years come to light. What those gaps mean for her later pension is shown in the story of two cleaners in Zurich.
2. The accident
If your cleaner falls on your stairs, she needs an accident insurer. If there is none, it's immediately checked who should have registered her - that's you. The most expensive of all the triggers.
3. The dispute
After a dismissal, a wage dispute or a separation, the employee turns to the compensation office or the labour court and claims her rights. Retroactively - with all the evidence.
Risk calculator: what would it cost you?
Set the wage, the hours and the years: the calculator fills in a sample ruling from the compensation office, the way it lands in the letterbox after an employer audit. The fine and the back-billed UVG premiums come on top depending on the situation.
On top of that - not quantifiable
Penalty up to 180 daily units
Undeclared work is an offence and carries an additional monetary penalty (AHVG Art. 87). Tax evasion up to three times the evaded tax (DBG Art. 175).
Accident without UVG: the Ersatzkasse's bill
If your cleaner has an accident without UVG cover, the Ersatzkasse UVG pays her the statutory benefits - and bills you the missed premiums for up to 5 years (Art. 95 UVG). An accident cannot be insured retroactively.
2026 guide value. Back-payment is as a rule capped at 5 years; the actual amount is set by the compensation office. Default interest is simplified. Penalties and back-billed UVG premiums come on top depending on the case.
Before it gets expensive: Clino prepares your cleaner's registration and walks you through it - for CHF 19.90/month, retroactively too.
Put it right now
What exactly you face
The consequences fall into three areas: the back-payment (what you would have had to pay anyway), the fines (the penalty on top) and the missed UVG cover (the Ersatzkasse's bill).
AVS back-payment for up to 5 years
The compensation office claims the contributions for up to 5 years retroactively (AHVG Art. 16 para. 1) - both the employer AND the employee share, which in practice you bear. Plus 5 % default interest per year.
Penalty up to 180 daily units
Not registering your cleaner and not settling the wages is an offence under AHVG Art. 87: a monetary penalty of up to 180 daily units. An Art. 88 fine only covers cases such as refused information or falsely completed forms. Anyone who falsifies the start date additionally risks a complaint for forgery of documents (StGB Art. 251 (forgery)).
Tax evasion
Undeclared wages are also a problem for tax: in cases of tax evasion, a fine of up to three times the evaded tax applies (DBG Art. 175), plus back-taxes for up to 10 years.
Accident without UVG: the Ersatzkasse's bill
The biggest chunk: if your cleaner has an accident without UVG insurance, she is still covered through the Ersatzkasse UVG. The bill lands with you: the Ersatzkasse charges you the missed premiums for up to 5 years by formal ruling (Art. 95 para. 1 UVG). And an accident that has already happened can no longer be insured. What happens step by step is explained in our guide to accidents without insurance.
The good news: it's easy to fix
The good news: it's easy to fix
Register - retroactively too
Register your cleaner with the compensation office. Past wages can be reported retroactively.
Set up the insurances
UVG, AC and - if needed - CAF are billed correctly from now on. From now on you and your cleaner are protected.
Continue cleanly
With the simplified procedure or a service like Clino, the billing then runs automatically - without you missing anything.
Sources & official information
- 1AHVG Art. 16 - Limitation / back-payment of contributions - fedlex.admin.ch
- 2AHVG Art. 87/88 - Penalty provisions - fedlex.admin.ch
- 3UVG Art. 95 - Back-billed premiums (Ersatzprämien) (SR 832.20) - fedlex.admin.ch
- 4SECO - Undeclared work (BGSA) - seco.admin.ch
Clean it up before someone else does
Clino prepares your cleaner's registration and walks you through it step by step - retroactively too - and gets AVS, UVG and the payroll right for CHF 19.90 a month. That's a fraction of what an audit would cost.
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