Nanny · Law
Sick child, sick nanny: who pays her wage, and for how long?
Sick: who pays her wage?
30 daysyou pay at least 80 % of the wage, from day 31 the daily sickness benefit insurance pays 80 %. In the canton of Zurich it is mandatory.
30 days free, then CHF 19.90/month · cancel anytime
The whole week, case by case ↓
Your child has a fever, the nanny is in bed with flu, or her own child is sick: weeks like this come every winter. The rules for them are clear. If your child is sick, the nanny works as usual. If she is sick herself, her wage keeps running per your canton's table, in 15 cantons (depending on workload and contract length) until a daily sickness benefit insurance takes over. If her child is sick, she has up to 3 days of paid leave per case. The calculator shows your case.
One week, three illnesses
This is a flu week where everything comes at once. Five days, five different reasons, and the wage column says the same thing every time.
November 2026
Lea, 4 · Ana, nanny
5 days, full wage 5 times. Nothing is deducted, nothing made up.
* Day of illness with a daily sickness benefit insurance: in Zurich, Lucerne, Solothurn and Schaffhausen, 80 % is enough during the waiting period.
- child sick
- you cancel
- nanny's child sick
- nanny sick
- Your child is sick
The nanny works as normal. If you tell her not to come, the wage still runs, and she has nothing to make up.
- The nanny is sick
Her wage keeps running for a limited time, per your canton's table or until the insurance pays.
- The nanny's child is sick
Up to 3 days per case and 10 days a year of paid leave, at your cost.
Your child is sick
For the nanny, a sick child is a normal working day. She looks after them at home as usual, with more tea and less playground. Nothing changes in her wage.
If you stay with your child yourself and tell the nanny not to come, you still owe the wage. The OR calls this default of acceptance (Art. 324 OR): the nanny was ready to work, so you pay, and she does not have to make up the hours. The Swiss Nanny Association explains it the same way in its answers on guaranteed hours.
Declaring these days holidays after the fact does not work; how holidays are set properly is in the post on nanny holidays. So that there is never a dispute about minus hours, the guaranteed hours belong in the contract.
The nanny is sick
Sick is sick: the nanny stays at home and makes nothing up. You keep paying her wage for a limited time (Art. 324a OR). How long is set by your canton's standard employment contract, and that period applies per year of service for all illnesses together. Choose canton, year of service and hours.
Day of illness
31
From today the daily sickness benefit insurance pays 80 %.
- From when
- From the first working day, probation included.
- Insurance
- Mandatory in the canton of Zurich. You pay at least half the premium. Without a policy you owe what it would have paid yourself (NAV hauswirtschaftliche Arbeitnehmer ZH (LS 821.12), Art. 13a).
- Dismissal
- After the probation period, dismissal is barred for 30 days during an illness (Art. 336c OR). Notice given in that time is void.
- Accident
- You pay the accident day and the 2 days after it at 80 % or more; from the 3rd day after the accident day the accident insurance pays 80 %. Leisure accidents are covered (from 8 hours a week).
Basis: NAV hauswirtschaftliche Arbeitnehmer ZH (LS 821.12), Art. 11 Abs. 1 · Art. 12 und Art. 26
Register your nanny, sick days included →30 days free, then CHF 19.90/month · cancel anytime
Every canton and year of service at a glance: sick pay continuation.
In 15 cantons the standard contract requires a daily sickness benefit insurance, for example in Zurich, Bern and Lucerne, depending on workload and contract length. You then pay the wage until the end of the waiting period, usually 30 days, longer in some cantons and years of service; in Zurich, Lucerne, Solothurn and Schaffhausen, 80 % is enough during the waiting period. After that the insurance pays 80 % of the wage, for at most 720 daily allowances. Even where your canton doesn't require it, it is worth it: without a policy the wage ends with the table, and a long illness leaves the nanny with no income. What a policy has to cover is on the page on daily sickness benefit insurance.
The OR does not say from when the nanny brings a doctor's certificate. Some cantonal standard contracts do, mostly from the third or fourth day; otherwise set it yourself, as an addendum to the nanny employment contract. And dismissal? During the probation period it is mostly possible even during an illness, though not in Solothurn (NAV § 24 para. 3). After that, dismissal during an illness is barred: in year 1 of service for 30 days, in years 2 to 5 for 90 days, from year 6 for 180 days (Art. 336c OR); in Ticino longer, as long as she draws her wage or daily allowances (Ticino NAV, Art. 12).
And after an accident?
After an accident the accident insurance pays 80 % of the wage, from the 3rd day after the accident day. You pay the accident day and the 2 days after it, at 80 % or more (Art. 324b OR); some standard contracts require the full wage. You must insure every nanny against accidents, even for a few hours. Leisure accidents are covered from 8 hours a week with you; below that, after a leisure accident you pay the wage as for an illness.
The nanny's child is sick
The message arrives at 06:42. What applies now fits on two counters.
Good morning! Tiago has had a 39 °C fever since the night, the nursery won't take him like this. I'll stay with him today and let you know tonight. I'm sorry.06:42
Get well soon, Tiago! No problem, this is paid leave.06:51
This case
day 1 of 3
This year
day 1 of 10
Seriously ill or injured?
Up to 14 weeks of care leave within 18 months. The EO pays 80 % of the wage, at most CHF 220 a day. Form 318.744.
If her own child is sick, the nanny may stay at home: paid leave of at most 3 days per case and 10 days a year (Art. 329h OR). You pay the wage, and nobody refunds it. The same applies when her partner or her parents are ill.
That is how SECO reads it in its guidelines: caring for a sick child can also be paid as sick pay under Art. 324a OR, without using up the leave of Art. 329h OR. It then counts towards your canton's table like her own illness.
If the child is seriously ill or seriously injured, she has up to 14 weeks of care leave (half each if both parents work), to be taken within 18 months, in one go or by the day (Art. 329i OR). The EO pays 80 % of the wage, at most CHF 220 a day. If you keep paying the wage, the compensation office transfers the EO to you. While the entitlement runs, for at most 6 months, you may not dismiss her after the probation period. Forms and a calculator are in the post on care leave.
For the nanny: what you are entitled to
You are sick, your child is sick, or the family doesn't need you today? You may ask for these four things, even if they are not in your contract.
Staying home when sick
Your wage keeps running for as long as your canton's standard contract provides, with insurance at least 80 %. You have nothing to make up.
Pay when the family cancels
If the child is sick or the family is away and you were ready to work, your wage runs. There are no minus hours for it.
Time for your sick child
Up to 3 days per case and 10 days a year, paid. If the child is seriously ill: up to 14 weeks of care leave with 80 % from the EO.
Insured in an accident
At work from the first day. Leisure accidents from 8 hours a week with the same family.
Independent support: Swiss Nanny Association
The Swiss Nanny Association is a nonprofit association supporting nannies and Au Pairs with information, resources, training and guidance on fair working conditions in Switzerland.
For information and resources, visit swissnanny.orgFrequently asked questions
Do I have to pay the nanny if my child is sick and I stay home myself?
Yes. If you tell the nanny not to come although she could work, you owe the full wage (Art. 324 OR), and she does not have to make up the hours. You cannot book these days as holidays either; holidays are set in advance.
How long do I have to pay a sick nanny?
Your canton's standard employment contract sets it, per year of service and for all illnesses together: in year 1 of service 3 weeks or 1 month depending on the canton, more after that. In 15 cantons a daily sickness benefit insurance is mandatory, depending on workload and contract length. You then pay at least the waiting period, usually 30 days (in Zurich, Lucerne, Solothurn and Schaffhausen, 80 % of the wage is enough), after which the insurance pays 80 %.
From when is a doctor's certificate needed?
The OR sets no day. Some cantonal standard contracts do, mostly from the third or fourth day. Otherwise put it in the contract, and tell the nanny by what time in the morning you need to know.
How many days may the nanny miss for her sick child?
Paid up to 3 days per illness and at most 10 days a year (Art. 329h OR), at your cost. If the child is seriously ill or seriously injured: up to 14 weeks of care leave, the EO pays 80 % of the wage, at most CHF 220 a day (Art. 329i OR).
May I dismiss a sick nanny?
During the probation period, mostly yes, though not in Solothurn (NAV § 24 para. 3). After that, dismissal during an illness is barred: in year 1 of service for 30 days, in years 2 to 5 for 90 days, from year 6 for 180 days (Art. 336c OR); in Ticino longer, as long as she draws her wage or daily allowances (Ticino NAV, Art. 12). Notice given in that time is void. If notice was given before, the notice period stops and continues after the barred period.
Who pays if the nanny has an accident?
The accident insurance pays 80 % of the wage from the 3rd day after the accident day; you pay the accident day and the 2 days after it at 80 % or more, and some standard contracts require the full wage. Every nanny must be insured against occupational accidents, and against leisure accidents from 8 hours a week. Without a policy the Ersatzkasse UVG pays and claims the premiums back from you, with a surcharge.
Register your nanny
Clino handles the AHV accounts, records sick days and accidents and books sick pay into the payslip per your canton's table. For accident insurance, Clino compares the offers and prepares the application. You take out the policy yourself.
How registration works step by step is on the page Register a nanny.
30 days free, then CHF 19.90/month · cancel anytime
Sources
- OR Art. 324, 324a, 324b, 329h, 329i and 336c (Fedlex, as of 1 October 2026)www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/27/317_321_377/en
- SECO, guidelines on the Labour Act, Art. 36: caring for sick children under the ORwww.seco.admin.ch/dam/de/sd-web/DBpg0wIdrKyB/ArG-Artikel-36-SECO-AB-2021-DE.pdf
- UVG Art. 16: daily allowance from the 3rd day after the accident daywww.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/1982/1676_1676_1676/en
- Leaflet 6.10 care allowance (AHV/IV)www.ahv-iv.ch/p/6.10.e
- Cantonal standard employment contracts for household staff, all 26 cantons: sick pay and daily sickness benefit (your canton's article is shown in the calculator)
- Swiss Nanny Association, Our Guidance: What are guaranteed hours?www.swissnanny.org/ourguidance