As remote work becomes the norm across Switzerland, many employees ask whether their employer should compensate them for home office costs. This article explains the legal basis, tax treatment, and Remote People's approach to home office allowances.

When an employee works from home, especially without a workspace provided by the company, Swiss employers are generally expected to reimburse reasonable related costs — things like electricity, internet, and use of personal space for work.

Since calculating individual expenses precisely is difficult in practice, employers commonly use a flat lump-sum payment instead.

Yes — expense allowances are generally tax-free for employees, as long as they are work-related and reasonable in amount. This makes lump-sum home office allowances a practical option: employees receive the payment without it being treated as taxable salary.

For employees engaged through Remote People and working fully from home, we provide a monthly lump-sum home office allowance of CHF 150, paid tax-free, to help offset the ongoing costs of maintaining a home workspace.

A home office allowance is a simple, standard way to support fully remote employees in Switzerland, without added complexity to payroll or year-end tax filings.