Summary

On 28 April 2026, the Swiss National Council regulated the working conditions of nursing staff through a special law. The maximum weekly working hours remain at 50 hours – a reduction to 45 hours was rejected. Instead, Parliament decided to compensate overtime as well as work on Sundays and public holidays with a minimum 25 percent wage supplement. The regulation partially addresses the demands of the nursing initiative, but does not fully meet them.

Persons

  • Markus Brotschi (Journalist, Tages-Anzeiger)

Topics

  • Nursing staff working conditions
  • Swiss legislation
  • Working time and wage regulations

Clarus Lead

The result signals a compromise between cost responsibility and relief: the National Council rejects the strict working time reduction demanded by initiative supporters – a decision that prioritizes cost stability in healthcare. At the same time, Parliament acknowledges the burden on nursing staff through direct financial compensation instead of hour reduction. This strategy shifts the core problem (staff shortage and overload) to the wage level and could influence labor law tightening in other sectors.

Detailed Summary

The nursing initiative had demanded a reduction of the maximum weekly working hours to 45 hours for nursing staff – a central concern to combat burnout and staff shortages. The National Council rejected this reduction and kept the limit at 50 hours. This decision reflects concerns regarding affordability and feasibility in the fragmented Swiss healthcare system.

However, the special law contains concessions to nursing staff: overtime work, and work on Sundays and public holidays are compensated with a minimum 25 percent wage supplement. This regulation aims to reduce the direct economic burden of extra work and increase the attractiveness of the profession through better compensation – but without shortening working hours themselves. The solution privileges financial incentives over structural relief.

Key Points

  • The National Council rejects the reduction of maximum working hours from 50 to 45 hours
  • Overtime and work on Sundays/public holidays receive a minimum 25 percent wage supplement
  • The nursing initiative is partially, not fully implemented
  • A special law regulates nursing staff working conditions anew

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence Quality: What data supports the assumption that 50 hours per week is sustainable for nursing staff? Were burnout studies or international comparisons consulted?

  2. Cost Calculation: How was it calculated that a 25 percent wage supplement compensates for the burden of longer working hours? What cost implications result from additional wage expenses?

  3. Conflicts of Interest: To what extent did financing concerns from health insurers and hospital operators influence the rejection of the 45-hour week?

  4. Alternatives: Why was a staggered reduction (e.g., 48 hours as a compromise) not seriously considered?

  5. Feasibility: How will the 25 percent compensation be financed in underfunded hospitals and care facilities? Is there risk of further cost shifting to cantons or patients?

  6. Long-Term Effect: Can wage compensation alone reduce staff shortages and burnout rates, or does it merely perpetuate the overload model?

Source Directory

Primary Source: Brotschi, Markus (2026): "Implementation of the Nursing Initiative – How the National Council Responds to the Demands of Nursing Staff" – Tages-Anzeiger, 28.04.2026 https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/pflegeinitiative-nationalrat-lehnt-45-stunden-woche-ab-890597679734

Verification Status: ✓ 28.04.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 28.04.2026