Zurich’s city council has decided that the municipal minimum wage ordinance will enter into force on 1 January 2027. Employers will have a transition period until 31 December 2027 to meet the new requirements. The decision ends years of delay after voters approved the measure in 2023.
From the 2023 vote to the court ruling
On 18 June 2023, voters approved the counter-proposal to the popular initiative “Ein Lohn zum Leben” with around 70 per cent in favour. Appeal proceedings then prevented the implementation of this vote. In May 2026, the Federal Supreme Court ruled that the City of Zurich’s municipal minimum wage ordinance is permissible. This cleared the way for the city minimum wage.
Timeline for implementation
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Ordinance enters into force | 1 January 2027 |
| Implementing provisions issued | Second quarter of 2027 at the latest |
| End of transition period for employers | 31 December 2027 |
The implementing provisions are planned for the second quarter of 2027 at the latest. The social partners will be involved in drafting them. The council grants the transition period to give affected employers enough time for the necessary adjustments.
Exceptions and legal certainty
Businesses in demonstrable financial difficulty can receive, on a justified application to the city council, a transition period of two years during which they do not yet have to pay the minimum wage. This period starts when the implementing provisions are issued. The council has removed the suspensive effect from the appeal period and from any appeal that may be filed. According to the city, this gives both employers and employees legal certainty.
Why the city is moving quickly
City councillor Céline Widmer, head of the Social Department, said the appeal had already delayed the implementation of the vote by several years, a very long time for employees on the lowest wages. She said that after the Federal Supreme Court ruling it was therefore important to bring the minimum wage into force as quickly as possible. She described the move as an important step in the fight against working poverty.