Your household is the employer · Basel-Stadt
Senior home help in Basel-Stadt: your household's duties as employer
This page is for a household whose Helper for senior home help does work like this:
- Companionship at home
- Light household help
- Meal preparation support
- Errands and appointment support
- Routine check-in visits
What does a household that employs a Helper for senior home help in Basel-Stadt have to do?
- Register your Helper with Ausgleichskasse Basel-Stadt within 30 days of the first working day under the simplified settlement procedure.
- By law, the federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) sets CHF 20.35 an hour, plus holiday pay. With the optional payroll plans Helpore Admin or Admin Light, pay at least Helpore Admin's own floor: CHF 22.20.
- Give at least 4 weeks of paid holidays a year. For irregular work only, add 8.33 % holiday pay to every hour, written in the contract and shown on each payslip; the holidays are still taken.
- Pay social insurance (AHV/IV/EO), unemployment insurance and family allowance contributions, and insure your Helper against accidents.
- Notice to end the employment must be in writing and signed (SG 215.700 § 13 Abs. 1).
What differs in Basel-Stadt
- The federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) covers a Helper for senior home help who works on average at least 5 hours a week for the same household: CHF 20.35 an hour without a qualification.
- The Basel-Stadt standard contract asks for more in writing:
- Agree the wage and the workload in writing before the first working day (§ 33 NAV BS, SG 215.700).
- Basel-Stadt sets its own rule for work on a public holiday:
- Each hour worked on a public holiday carries a supplement of at least 50 %.
Source: Normalarbeitsvertrag für Arbeitnehmende im Haushalt einschliesslich der 24-Stunden-Betreuung im Kanton Basel-Stadt (NAV Haushalt BS), SG 215.700, read on 28 September 2026
The lowest hourly wage for a Helper for senior home help in Basel-Stadt in 2026
The federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) covers a Helper for senior home help who works on average at least 5 hours a week for the same household.
| Qualification | Lowest hourly wage |
|---|---|
| No qualification | CHF 22.20 · Helpore Admin's own floor, not a legal minimum By law: CHF 20.35, federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) |
| At least four years of household experience | CHF 22.30 · federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) By law: CHF 22.30, federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) |
| Three year certificate (EFZ) | CHF 24.55 · federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) By law: CHF 24.55, federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) |
From 1 January 2027
| Qualification | Lowest hourly wage |
|---|---|
| No qualification | CHF 22.20 · Helpore Admin's own floor, not a legal minimum · provisional until the new figure is published By law: CHF 20.35, federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) |
| At least four years of household experience | CHF 22.30 · federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) By law: CHF 22.30, federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) |
| Three year certificate (EFZ) | CHF 24.55 · federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) By law: CHF 24.55, federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) |
Contributions in Basel-Stadt in 2026: who pays what
| Contribution | Rate | Household pays | Deducted from the Helper's wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| AHV/IV/EO | 5.3 % | CHF 61.70 | CHF 61.70 |
| Unemployment insurance (ALV) | 1.1 % | CHF 12.80 | CHF 12.80 |
| Family allowance fund (FAK) | 1.65 % | CHF 19.20 | CHF 0.00 |
| Compensation office administration costs | 3 % of all AHV/IV/EO contributions | CHF 3.70 | CHF 0.00 |
| Total | CHF 97.40 | CHF 74.50 |
a month · CHF 36.56 per hour worked
| Wage | CHF 1’040.00 |
|---|---|
| Public holidays 3.59 % | CHF 37.34 |
| Holiday pay 8.33 % | CHF 86.63 |
| Employer contributions | CHF 97.40 |
| Accident insurance | CHF 5.90 |
| You pay a month | CHF 1’267.27 |
How many weeks of paid holidays does a Helper get in the canton of Basel-Stadt, and what applies on public holidays?
At least 4 weeks of paid holidays a year, and 5 weeks in these cases:
- under age 20
- from age 50
Source: NAV Haushalt BS, SG 215.700, § 28 Abs. 1, § 29, § 27, read on 9 October 2026.
Probation and notice in Basel-Stadt
Probation: 1 month.
Notice during probation: 7 days.
Notice after probation
- Year 1 of service: 1 month, to the end of a month.
- Years 2 to 9 of service: 2 months, to the end of a month.
- From year 10 of service: 3 months, to the end of a month.
Write the notice and sign it, as SG 215.700 § 13 Abs. 1 requires.
Standard contract and offices
Cities in Basel-Stadt
More for households in Basel-Stadt
- Cleaning and housekeeping in Basel-Stadt: your duties as employer
- Childcare in Basel-Stadt: your duties as employer
- Household help in Basel-Stadt: the canton guide
- Senior home help and companionship: the rules across Switzerland
- How to register household help in Switzerland
Neighbouring cantons
Optional help with the paperwork: Helpore Admin files it for you, Helpore Admin Light prepares it
You have someone and stay in control
Helpore Admin Light
CHF 15.90 per month
Your month at 8 h and CHF 30.00CHF 1’283.17
- Your Helper's payslip every month
- Contributions worked out to the rappen
- Every document in order
You have someone and want it fully handled
Helpore Admin
CHF 23.90 per month
Your month at 8 h and CHF 30.00CHF 1’291.17
- Registration of the employment
- Monthly payroll, payslips and contributions
- Insurance administration and the year end statement
Your household is the employer. Both plans are optional, and Helpers never pay a fee.
Questions about employing a Helper for senior home help in Basel-Stadt
What is the lowest hourly wage for a Helper for senior home help in Basel-Stadt in 2026?
By law, at least CHF 20.35 an hour plus holiday pay, under the federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV). If you use Helpore Admin or Admin Light, the lowest wage is CHF 22.20, Helpore Admin's own floor.
How much paid holiday does a Helper for senior home help get in Basel-Stadt?
At least 4 weeks a year. Holiday pay of 8.33 % on every hour: irregular work only, written in the contract and on each payslip; the holidays are still taken.
How much notice does the household give a Helper for senior home help in Basel-Stadt?
During probation, the notice is 7 days; in the first year of service, 1 month to the end of a month. After that, the notice grows with the years of service. In Basel-Stadt, notice has to be written and signed.
What must the household put in writing in Basel-Stadt?
The Basel-Stadt standard contract adds written duties to the federal rules; this page lists each one with its article.
Which rule sets the lowest wage for a Helper for senior home help in Basel-Stadt?
CHF 22.20 an hour: Helpore Admin's own floor, not a legal minimum. CHF 20.35 an hour: federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV).
Does the federal standard contract for domestic work cover a Helper for senior home help?
Yes, when your Helper works on average at least 5 hours a week for your household.
Does the lowest wage for a Helper for senior home help change on 1 January 2027?
No qualification: CHF 20.35 an hour. At least four years of household experience: CHF 22.30 an hour. Three year certificate (EFZ): CHF 24.55 an hour.
Which cities in Basel-Stadt have a Helpore page for a Helper for senior home help?
Helpore has a page about a Helper for senior home help in each of these cities: Basel.
What family allowance rate does the household pay in Basel-Stadt?
1.65 % of the gross wage, paid by the household.
Which standard contract for household work applies in Basel-Stadt?
Normalarbeitsvertrag für Arbeitnehmende im Haushalt einschliesslich der 24-Stunden-Betreuung im Kanton Basel-Stadt.