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Template & Law

Dismissal letter for your cleaner or nanny: a template that holds up legally

Salvador JovellsUpdated: October 2026Reading time: 8 min

Envelope and a bunch of keys with a green tag lying on a hallway shelf in low evening light
A termination only counts once it arrives: so put it in writing and send it by registered mail.

A termination during a protection period is void, one sent via WhatsApp is hard to prove, and one with the wrong date only takes effect on the next valid date. The employment continues, so does the obligation to pay. It happens more often than you'd think. Here are the notice periods, the pitfalls - and a generator that calculates the date automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • 1Notice periods: 1 month (1st year), 2 months (2nd-9th year), 3 months (from 10th year) - always to end of month, unless the contract or a cantonal standard contract says otherwise.
  • 2Probation: 7 days' notice, to any day (Art. 335b CO).
  • 3Protection periods: after probation, termination by the employer during pregnancy, illness or military service is void (Art. 336c CO).
  • 4A termination only counts once it reaches the other person - not when you send it. So: in writing, by registered mail.
Looking for a different template? Whoever terminates often also writes something positive: Recommendation letter for your household employee · Work reference with generator

Termination Letter Generator

Fill in the fields and receive a ready-made termination letter for download. The notice period is calculated automatically.

Document language:

It starts in German, the usual language for this paper in German-speaking Switzerland. Pick the language that you and your employee both read: any language you both understand is fine.

Who is ending the employment?

Check before giving notice: does any of this apply right now?

Notice period (months)1 Monat auf Monatsende
Send directly by email
[Arbeitgeber Name]
[Adresse]
Einschreiben
[Arbeitnehmer/in]
[Adresse]
[Ort], ___________
Kündigung des Arbeitsverhältnisses

Sehr geehrte [Arbeitnehmer/in],

Hiermit kündigen wir das seit ___________ bestehende Arbeitsverhältnis ordentlich unter Einhaltung der 1-monatigen Kündigungsfrist.

Bitte bestätigen Sie den Erhalt dieses Schreibens mit Ihrer Unterschrift auf der Kopie.

Freundliche Grüsse

[Arbeitgeber Name], Arbeitgeber/in
Empfangsbestätigung
Beilagen: Arbeitszeugnis
[Arbeitgeber Name]
[Adresse]
Einschreiben
Einschreiben
[Arbeitnehmer/in]
[Adresse]
The address block sits on the right, where the window of a Swiss C5/C6 envelope is. The two short ticks on the left edge are the fold marks at one third and two thirds, the longer one in the middle is the punch mark.
OR Art. 335-336cIncl. protection-period warningsadmin.ch

The letter is ready - how the termination takes effect

A PDF in your downloads folder terminates nothing. The notice period starts when the letter arrives.

  1. 1Sign it by hand: print the letter and sign it yourself. An unsigned PDF sent by e-mail is hard to prove in a dispute.
  2. 2Send it by registered mail: the period starts on receipt, not on sending. With registered mail, according to the Federal Supreme Court the first day it can be collected already counts, under another practice only the end of the 7-day collection window. Leave a few days of buffer so the end date holds.
  3. 3Keep a copy and the receipt: keep a signed copy plus proof of delivery (the registered-mail receipt or a signed acknowledgement). Your employee gets the original; without that proof you cannot prove delivery.
  4. 4Prepare the reference and the final payslip: by the last working day you owe the work reference (Art. 330a CO), payment of the remaining holiday balance and the pro-rata 13th salary if agreed.

Mandatory details

Both names and addresses, the date of the letter, the last working day set to a month end, and your signature. A reason for the termination is not required.

Most common mistake

Sending the termination by WhatsApp or e-mail and never being able to prove it arrived. The employment - and the duty to pay wages - simply continues.

Everything on one pageThe complete termination kitNotice period, protected periods, letter, reference and closing checklist, in order.Open the kit →

Statutory Notice Periods (Art. 335a-335c CO)

Hourglass filled with calendar pages next to a house key on the kitchen table: the notice period for household help
After probation: one month in the 1st year of service, two up to the 9th, then three, always to the end of a month (Art. 335c CO).

For employment in private households, the Code of Obligations periods apply - unless the employment contract or a cantonal standard employment contract (e.g. UR, AR, JU) provides otherwise:

1

1st year of service

1 month to end of month

2

2nd-9th year of service

2 months to end of month

3

From 10th year of service

3 months to end of month

Probation: During probation (first 1-3 months): 7 days' notice, to any day (Art. 335b CO). Whether a fixed-term contract has a probation period at all depends on what you agreed.

Protection Periods - When You CANNOT Terminate (Art. 336c CO)

Swiss labour law protects employees in certain life situations from termination. After probation, a termination by the employer during these 'protection periods' is void:

Pregnancy

During the entire pregnancy and until 16 weeks after birth, the employer may not terminate.

Illness / Accident

1st year of service: 30 days. 2nd-5th year: 90 days. From 6th year: 180 days.

Military service

During mandatory military, civil or civil protection service; if the service lasts more than 11 days, additionally 4 weeks before and after (Art. 336c para. 1 let. a CO).

Art. 336c OR

A termination during a protection period is void - it has no effect, as if it were never issued (Art. 336c CO). It must be reissued after the protection period has ended.

WhatsApp: Heads-up before the formal letter

Maria

online

Hi Maria, I need to share something important. I've decided to end the employment. You'll receive the formal termination letter by post in the next few days, but I wanted to tell you personally first.

14:00

Thank you for telling me in person. I appreciate that. Does the normal notice period apply?

14:15

Yes, exactly - one month as per the contract. I want to sincerely thank you for your great work. If you ever need a reference, just let me know.

14:18
Message

For this first message and other delicate moments, there are WhatsApp templates for your household help.

Sample: a correct termination letter

This is what a legally sound termination letter looks like. Keep the structure and swap the names, dates and notice period - or let the generator above create it with the date calculated automatically.

Ordinary termination · employer · 1 monthArt. 335c CO
Brunner family, Musterstrasse 1, 8002 Zurich Ms Ana Costa Beispielweg 4, 8003 Zurich Zurich, 15 June 2026 Termination of the employment relationship Dear Ms Costa I hereby terminate our employment relationship in the ordinary way and within the notice period, effective 31 July 2026. Your last working day is therefore 31 July 2026. Thank you sincerely for your reliable work. I will of course provide a work reference, and I am happy to add a personal recommendation. Kind regards [Signature] The Brunner family

The end date (here 31 July) must fall on a month-end - the generator works it out automatically.

The 4 Most Common Termination Mistakes

1

Termination not to end of month

The statutory period always ends at the end of a month. A termination 'as of the 15th' does not take effect on that date - it automatically shifts to the next month-end.

2

Notice period too short

Miscalculating the period means the termination only takes effect at the next possible date. Example: 2nd year of service = 2 months, not 1 month.

3

Only verbal termination

A verbal termination is legally valid - but practically impossible to prove in a dispute. Always terminate in writing, by registered mail or with a signed confirmation of receipt.

4

Termination during protection period

Dismissing an employee after probation during pregnancy, illness or military service is void - the termination must be repeated after the protection period ends.

Employment ending?

The last duties to close it properly

Final payslip with the holiday balance, report the exit to the compensation office, cancel accident insurance. The closing checklist walks you through all of it, with deadlines.

Open the closing checklist

Free Checklist: Hire Household Help Correctly

AHV, accident insurance, contract. All on one page, by email in 30 seconds.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the termination have to be in writing?
No, a verbal termination is fundamentally valid in Switzerland. However, in a dispute you must prove that and when the termination was issued. Therefore always in writing by registered mail - or in person with a signed confirmation of receipt.
When does the notice period start?
As soon as the other person receives it - not when you send it. With registered mail, the day of receipt is disputed: according to the Federal Supreme Court, the first day the letter can be collected, under another practice only the end of the 7-day collection window. Tip: allow a few days' buffer so the deadline is safely met.
Can I terminate without notice during probation?
No. Even during probation, a 7-day notice period applies (Art. 335b CO). Immediate termination is only permitted for 'important reasons' under Art. 337 CO - e.g., theft or serious breach of duty.
What happens if my household employee falls ill during the notice period?
If the employer gave notice after probation, the notice period pauses during the illness, for at most 30, 90 or 180 days depending on the year of service (Art. 336c para. 2 CO). The last working day moves to the next month-end. In short: illness extends the notice period but does not cancel the termination.
Do I have to state the reason for termination?
No, in Switzerland an ordinary termination without stating a reason is possible. However, the employee may request the reason in writing. An abusive termination (e.g., due to pregnancy) can lead to compensation of up to 6 monthly salaries (Art. 336a CO).
Who keeps which copy of the letter?
The person being let go receives the signed original; you keep a signed copy plus proof of delivery (the registered-mail receipt or a signed acknowledgement). Without that proof you cannot show when the notice period started running. Keep both for five years after the employment ends (Art. 128 CO). If she also hands back the flat key on her last day, confirm it with a key receipt.
Can I withdraw a termination I have already given?
Only by mutual agreement. Once the termination has reached the other party it is binding and cannot be revoked unilaterally. If both sides want to continue, put it in writing: a short confirmation signed by both that the employment continues unchanged is enough.
I am the cleaner: how do I resign correctly?
The same notice periods apply to you as to the employer: 7 days during probation to any day, then 1 month in the first year of service to the end of a month (Art. 335b and 335c CO). In the generator above, choose the employee option as sender and it drafts the letter from your side. Resign in writing by registered mail, keep a copy and work the notice period to the end. If you resign yourself, it can affect your unemployment benefits from the RAV.
Should I hand over a reference or recommendation letter with the termination?
Yes, that is the clean way to do it. The household employee is entitled to a work reference at any time anyway (Art. 330a CO); issue it together with the termination and nobody has to ask twice. A personal recommendation letter is voluntary but helps her a lot in finding the next job. We have free templates with generators for both.

Sources & further information

Learn more

Notice Period Calculator for Household Workers 2026Read article
Dismissing your household help: notice, protection periods, mistakesRead article
Employment Reference for a Cleaner: Free TemplateRead article
Key Receipt - Free Printable TemplateRead article
Salvador Jovells

Salvador Jovells, founder of Clino