EPFL grants various types of special leave to allow staff members to manage important personal or family events. These leaves are paid and must be taken in direct connection with the event concerned.
General Conditions
- Leave is proportional to the employment rate
- It must be taken immediately around the event (otherwise it is forfeited)
- It must be recorded in the system with the correct reason
- No paid leave is granted for strictly private matters
- Special leave is not deducted from the vacation balance
Legal Bases
- Rules and Regulations Concerning Working Time Management (PDF)
- See Section 2 on social benefits in the Ordinance of the ETH Board on personnel in the domain of the Federal Institutes of Technology – OPers-ETH (in French)
Recording
To record paid leave in the absences system, select the appropriate reason from the drop-down list.
List of paid leave for special events
| a) Employee’s own marriage (civil marriage) | 6 days |
| b) Of a family member | 1 day |
| a) Employees are entitled to fully paid leave. If the father also works in the ETH Domain, see the provisions under Maternity Insurance. Maternity leave linked with third-party funds can be financed by EPFL. Please inform your unit’s HR Specialist if this is applicable. | 4 months |
| b) Other Parent’s Leave / Birth of Own Child (formerly “Paternity Leave”) | 20 days |
| For the first aid and organization of further treatment of a patient from his/her own household or his/her own parents, if there is no other possibility of care. This also applies to children under the age of 16, if the employee is responsible for their upbringing. | Up to 3 days per event. Over 10 days per calendar year, a medical certificate will be requested for each event. For the care of a seriously ill child, a longer period of leave (14 weeks) may be considered. Please contact [email protected]. |
For further information, please consult:
- APG Caring for a seriously ill child (in French, PDF)
- Care for sick children
| Of an important nature or medical examinations concerning children under the age of 16, if the employee is responsible for their upbringing. | Up to 5 days per calendar year |
| a) In the event of the death of a close relative or in one’s own household (spouse, direct ascendant or descendant) | 5 days |
| b) In the event of the death of a family member or relative outside your own household | 1 to 3 days depending on needs |
| c) To attend the funeral of a relative or work colleague | As long as necessary, ½ day max. |
| For employee moving house | 1 day per calendar year |
| Supervising and attending courses (officially recognised) that are part of youth and sport programmes or sport for people with dissabilities | Up to 5 days per calendar year |
| Military conscription, inspection and return of military equipment | Time required as specified in marching orders |
| Firefighting exercises and interventions | The time required |
| Attendance at regular meetings of trade unions | 6 days per 2 calendar years |
| Activities within staff associations | Up to 30 days after agreement with social partners |
| Exercise of public functions (elected at the municipal or cantonal level) | Up to 15 days per calendar year |
Planned absences are counted as work time only if the reason for the absence cannot be scheduled during regular leisure time or flexible working hours. This applies in particular to medical appointments or meetings with official authorities for the settlement of personal matters.
→ See also the Online Help – Absence Management
→ For any questions regarding absences, please write to: [email protected]