Easter Monday in Switzerland
Easter Monday follows Easter Sunday and continues the Christian celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. In Switzerland, whether it is a statutory day of rest depends on the canton, while Zurich’s “Zwänzgerle” offers a distinctive local Easter tradition.[1][2][3]
Meaning in the Easter season
For Christians, Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. In Catholic liturgy, Easter Monday falls within the Octave of Easter, the eight days from Easter Sunday to the following Sunday that prolong the celebration.[4]
A canton-by-canton public holiday
Switzerland has one federal public holiday, 1 August. Cantons may designate up to eight additional holidays as equivalent to Sundays under the Swiss Labour Act, so Easter Monday’s statutory status varies by canton. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) lists Easter Monday among the holidays recognized in parts of the country; Zurich, for example, treats it as a statutory holiday equivalent to a Sunday.[1][2][3]
Where Easter Monday is recognized this way, employees covered by the Labour Act generally may not be required to work, subject to exceptions and permit rules for Sunday work. The lost working time does not have to be made up. There is no general right to take a substitute day when a holiday falls on a non-working day. Pay rules also vary: monthly-paid employees keep their salary for holiday hours not worked, while hourly-paid employees’ entitlement generally depends on their contract or collective agreement.[1]
A Zurich Easter custom
One local custom takes place in Zurich’s Old Town on Easter Monday: “Zwänzgerle,” roughly translated as “20-cent coin throwing.” Adults try to lodge coins in hard-boiled eggs held by children. If a coin sticks, the adult keeps the egg and coin; if it falls, the child keeps the coin. Zurich’s official visitor guide says the custom appears to date from the 18th century and is practiced alongside egg tapping.[5]
Shops and services
Shop opening is governed by cantonal laws. SECO lists exceptions to Sunday-work rules for certain businesses serving travelers at designated railway stations, airports, terminals and motorway service areas, as well as some bakeries and other shops. These exceptions mean some outlets may open, but they do not establish that every listed business is open on Easter Monday; check local opening hours.[6]
The holiday does not create a single nationwide opening schedule for shops or public transport. Where the day is a statutory holiday, Sunday-equivalent rest rules apply to covered workplaces, with exceptions. For practical plans, check the relevant canton, employer, shop or transport operator.[1][3][6]
Easter Monday in Switzerland: FAQs
Is Easter Monday a public holiday throughout Switzerland?
Do employees get a day off?
In cantons where Easter Monday is equivalent to Sunday, employees covered by the Labour Act generally cannot be required to work, subject to exceptions. Whether they are paid for the day depends in part on their pay arrangement and employment agreement.[1]
Will shops be open?
It depends on the canton and the individual shop. Some businesses serving travelers at specified transport locations and some bakeries are exceptions to Sunday-work restrictions. Check the shop’s own holiday hours.[6]
What is Zwänzgerle?
It is a Zurich Easter Monday custom in which adults throw 20-cent coins at hard-boiled eggs held by children. If a coin sticks in the shell, the adult keeps the egg and coin; otherwise, the child keeps the coin.[5]
Sources and references
Sources used for Easter Monday in Switzerland:
- Freizeit und Feiertage- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
- Feiertage Schweiz- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
- Feiertage- Canton of Zurich
- Easter- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
- “Zwänzgerle” – Tradition in Zurich- Zurich Tourism
- FAQ Ladenöffnung am Sonntag- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)