Basel company cuts work hours with full pay during Swiss heatwaves

A company in Basel has found a new way to keep employees cool during the ongoing Swiss heatwaves this summer: work fewer hours for the exact same pay. Just in time, the weather will be hot again this week!

6-Hour workdays for full pay in Basel

Zweipack, a building maintenance company headquartered in Allschwil, Basel, now lets staff work reduced hours when temperatures rise above 30 degrees celsius. Workdays are reduced from 8,4 hours to 6 hours, and employees continue to be paid a full salary, reports SRF.

Most Zweipack employees work outside cleaning buildings or maintaining gardens, and the heat can take a toll. “You have no energy for work in this heat. It's not good to work like this when it's so hot,” said employee Erol Ramazan.

Managing director Mischa Blattner added that “After 2pm everyone is exhausted and tired,” and if employees had to work through the extreme temperatures, then “people would just get sick, it wouldn’t do any good.”

The company explained that tasks are prioritised to avoid the heat where possible. Blattner also confirmed that everyone will receive a full salary and there will be no financial losses to the business. “The motivation and gratitude of the employees are extremely high.”

Temperatures surging past 35C across Switzerland

The weather in Switzerland this week will once again be well into the 30s - so much so that we’ve lost count which heatwave we’re on. On Monday, August 3, temperatures could reach between 34 and 36 degrees in Basel, Zurich and Geneva, according to MeteoSwiss.

By Monday evening, thunderstorms are expected to bring some relief. Humid weather will continue into Tuesday and Wednesday, with temperatures expected to drop to below 30 degrees by Thursday. We can all head into the weekend a little cooler.

Those who work in Switzerland will be all too familiar with summer working conditions: working without air conditioning in the office or a sweaty commute on public transport. While Hitzefrei (heat-free) days, where employers give staff a day off work in extreme temperatures, no longer exist in Switzerland, companies have an obligation to protect workers' health and safety.