Summary

On 19 June 2026, the Swiss Federal Council passed an amendment to the Code of Obligations that expands youth leave. Young people under 30 years of age will henceforth receive two weeks instead of one week of unpaid leave per year for volunteer work. The regulation now also applies to open youth and children's work, not just association activities. The public consultation showed broad support for the measure. The Federal Council thus follows parliamentary motions and refrains from implementing additional measures beyond the mandate.

Persons

Topics

  • Youth policy
  • Volunteer engagement
  • Labour law
  • Out-of-school youth and children's work

Clarus Lead

The expansion of youth leave addresses a structural deficit in Swiss volunteer work: young adults often fail to pursue youth care work due to professional obligations. By doubling the time off and opening it to open youth work (youth centres, street work), the federal government creates an incentive to strengthen engagement in less formalized structures – an area that traditionally suffers from resource shortages. The broad approval in the public consultation signals societal consensus on the value of youth volunteer work.

Detailed Summary

The previous regulation granted apprentices and employees under 30 years of age one week of unpaid leave per year for activities in sports, music or health associations and similar organizations. Commercial structures were excluded. The new regulation doubles this entitlement to two weeks per year and significantly expands the scope: in future, young people will also be able to claim leave for work in so-called open youth and children's services – for example, for engagement in youth centres or comparable low-threshold offers.

The Federal Council acted on the basis of two parliamentary motions (23.3734 Schneider Schüttel and 23.3735 Riniker) and conducted a public consultation. This showed almost unanimous approval: practically all participants acknowledged the positive social contribution of volunteer work and supported its promotion. On this basis, the Federal Council decided to proceed without implementing additional measures beyond the parliamentary mandate and passed the message on the amendment to the Code of Obligations to Parliament.

Key Statements

  • The entitlement to unpaid youth leave doubles from one to two weeks per year
  • The regulation is extended to open youth and children's services (youth centres, street work)
  • Public consultation participants largely support the measure
  • The Federal Council refrains from implementing additional measures beyond the mandate

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence: What data shows that the previous one week of youth leave is an obstacle to engagement for under-30s? Was a needs analysis conducted?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: Which associations and organizations participated in the public consultation? Were employer associations and trade unions equally represented?

  3. Causality: How will it be measured whether doubling leave actually leads to more engagement in open youth work, or whether activities are merely shifted between sectors?

  4. Implementation: How will employers in SMEs be informed about the new regulation? Are there sanctions for non-compliance?

  5. Financing: Does the federal government bear replacement costs for employers, or does the burden lie entirely with businesses?

  6. Reach: How many young people under 30 are currently employed and could benefit from the regulation?

  7. Demarcation: By what criteria is "open youth and children's work" distinguished from commercial offerings? Who decides on eligibility?

Sources

Primary Source: Federal Council – Strengthening Youth Leave – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/pFr0Hw5ShqsM

Parliamentary Basis:

  • Motion 23.3734 (Schneider Schüttel)
  • Motion 23.3735 (Riniker)

Verification Status: ✓ 19.06.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 19.06.2026