Do I have to go to the office in this heat?

The summer heat is here to stay. The health challenges associated with extreme heat primarily affect people who work outdoors. Risks include heatstroke, dehydration and work-related skin cancer. People with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and lung or kidney disease are also particularly vulnerable to heat, as their bodies are already under strain.

What does the law say?

In Switzerland, there are currently no legally defined maximum temperatures for workplaces. So yes, you have to go to the office despite the heat.

However, employers must take measures to protect the health of their employees, especially when working outdoors or in non-air-conditioned rooms. Specifically, companies are obliged to provide ventilation and cooling, offer shaded areas and, if necessary, reschedule working hours to reduce heat stress.

The Swiss Accident Insurance Fund (Suva) offers guidelines and checklists to help employers implement protective measures. In addition, Suva and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) issue recommendations for maximum temperatures in the workplace.

These are as follows: The room temperature should be appropriate for the type of work. For sedentary, mental work, 21 to 23 degrees is recommended, and for physical work, 16 to 21 degrees, depending on the level of exertion. In hot weather, the temperature in the room should not exceed 26 degrees.

However, there is one special rule: pregnant and breastfeeding women have the right to insist that they do not have to come to work if the room temperature exceeds 28 degrees.

No heatwave leave for construction workers

Heatwave leave is no longer available even in schools – partly because schools have a duty of care.
Construction workers, who are most affected by the heat, are also not granted general heatwave leave. From 33 degrees, Suva recommends taking a 15-minute break every hour in a cool, shaded place. Heavy work should be minimised and carried out in the shade.

Since 2016, Switzerland has had a collective agreement launched by the Unia trade union to protect construction workers from the effects of extreme weather conditions. If work has to be stopped due to extreme weather, construction workers are compensated.

Do dress codes apply in extreme heat?

Employees who do not have direct contact with customers and suppliers are generally allowed to wear shorts. However, if there is contact with the public, such as at a bank counter or hotel reception, the supervisor may insist on a specific dress code.

The summer heat is also a sign that climate change has already arrived. Politicians are called upon to establish clear guidelines and regulations to protect workers.