Register a cleaning lady with the ahv: you have to know that

Registering your own cleaning lady with the AHV is the first important step towards a legal employment relationship in your own household. We explain why you have to register your cleaning lady with the AHV and what there is to consider.

Anyone who employs a maid or cleaning lady at home automatically becomes an employer. And if you are the employer of a cleaning lady, you must register this with the AHV in any case. Because in Switzerland, every employment relationship in the household must be insured with the AHV by law (regardless of the wages or the degree of employment.)

Cleaning lady and the AHV contribution obligation

In addition to registering as an employer with the AHV, the employer has to pay a contribution to the AHV for the cleaning lady and take out accident insurance. Every paid activity is subject to contributions.

In addition to the contribution to the AHV, employees and employers also pay other, also mandatory contributions:

Disability Insurance (IV)
Income Compensation Act (EO)
Unemployment insurance (ALV)
Family Compensation Fund (FAK)
Accident insurance (UVG)
the pension fund (BVG / 2nd pillar) (from a monthly salary above CHF 1,777.50 per month or CHF 21,330 per year, the nanny or household help must be registered with the pension fund)
Daily sickness benefit insurance (KTG) (optional, but is often taken out and protects the employee from loss of earnings due to illness)

The gross wage forms the basis for the calculation of social security contributions. It is therefore recommended to agree a gross wage with the cleaning lady. Gross wages are the wages from which employee amounts such as AHV and co. subtracted from. The net wage corresponds to the wages (also known as cash wages) paid to the cleaning lady. With our wage calculator you can calculate the wages of your cleaning lady or household help, taking into account all deductions to calculate to let.

Two different accounting procedures for the cleaner at the AHV

The simplified procedures was specially developed for household helpers and cleaning women. Regardless of the residence status or nationality of the employee, the earned income is taxed directly at a flat rate of 5 percent. The simplified accounting procedure can only be used for cleaning women and household helpers whose gross wages do not exceed CHF 1,777.50 a month or CHF 21,330 a year. If the above criteria for employment in the simplified payroll procedure do not apply, the employment relationship must be registered in the ordinary payroll procedure. In contrast to the simplified procedure, any withholding tax must be settled directly with the cantonal tax office in the ordinary procedure.

By the way: We explain the most important labor law principles and terms in detail in our glossary. If you want to save yourself the trouble of registering a cleaning lady yourself, quitt. Will find the right partner. quitt. takes over the registration and settlement with the AHV, offers cheap accident insurance and provides the most important documents such as the monthly wage statement and the employment contract.

Exceptions for the registration of a cleaning lady or household help with the AHV

There is an exception for cleaning women or domestic helpers who have already reached retirement age (men from 65 years, women from 64 years) – the allowance of CHF 1,400 per month or 16,800 per year. Contributions to the AHV, IV and EO only have to be paid from the wages that are above the allowance. The ALV (unemployment insurance) does not apply to retirees.

Another exception to the registration with the AHV concerns private domestic workers (including cleaning women) who are under 26 years old. Those who work in private households and earn less than CHF 750 per year are exempt from the contribution obligation. As a rule, this applies particularly to domestic workers such as babysitters. The cleaning woman’s annual income is, with a few exceptions significantly higher than CHF 750 a year.

What cannot be mentioned often enough: If you register your cleaning lady correctly, undeclared work in the household does not give CHANCE and ensures FAIRE employment at home!

Good day
I would like to hire a cleaning lady from January to clean my apartment. She cleans about 18 – 20 times a year, always on Saturdays, about 3 hours and receives CHF 90.- each time.
What do I have to pay to the AHV for this cleaner? ?
Many thanks for your help and best regards

Good day Mr In the yard

Thank you for your inquiry.

Below you will find an overview of what your costs are as an employer.
You can also do the calculations yourself in our payroll calculator.

We would be very happy to win you as a customer.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact our support.

Good day
I have registered the cleaning lady for accident insurance. Can I also register AHV afterwards??

Thank you very much and best regards
C. Widmer

Dear Mrs. Widmer

We can register your employee with the AHV up to 30 days after the start of employment, but not retrospectively for all years. You should therefore report your cleaning woman’s wages for 2018 to the responsible, cantonal SVA yourself and fill out the necessary forms. For the new year, you are welcome to use our service.

I hope I could help you with this answer. If you have further questions, you can also contact our support directly.

Kind regards and a good start to the new year.
Amanda Sauter

I bring my laundry to a friend twice a month and pay CHF 100.-. Do I have to register her even if she does this at her home? Thank you for your information. Kind regards: Edwin Baldauf

Hello Mr. Baldauf

In principle, all salaries are subject to contributions. However, since the work in your case does not take place at your home, your acquaintance would first have to inquire at the cantonal social security institution (SVA) whether you can register as a self-employed person and pay your salary yourself. Should the SVA refuse to do so, you would again be obliged as an employer to correctly calculate the salary and to insure your employee against accidents. We would be happy to help you with our service.

I hope I was able to answer your question. You are welcome to contact us again if you have any further questions.

Kind regards and a good start to the week
Amanda Sauter

Hi there
I already work 80% as a nanny in a private family and am registered and insured there. Now I have found a part-time job as a domestic help.
Do I have to register this with the AHV??

Thank you very much.
Best regards
Moni T.

Hello Ms. Moni T.

Thank you for your inquiry.
The new employer is responsible for registering you with the AHV.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us,

With best regards
Your quitt. Team

Yes and how do I register them with the AHV now?.

Dear Merry

To register your household help with the AHV, you must first identify the responsible cantonal compensation office, fill in the corresponding registration form with all the necessary information and send it to the compensation office. We would be happy to take over this paperwork for you and register your household help with the AHV correctly. Simply sign up for a COMFORT subscription online so that you no longer have to worry about it.

Best regards,
Fabienne Schmidli