What the law says about language
Art. 330a OR does not specify a language for the reference. In practice, references are usually written in the language of the workplace — German, French or Italian depending on the region — or in the working language of the company. In international firms where English is the corporate language, English references are common.
Swiss law does not expressly grant a right to a translated or second-language version. Whether you can insist on a particular language depends on the circumstances, such as the language in which the employment was actually conducted. In most cases, the question is resolved simply by asking: many employers are willing to issue the letter in two languages.
The hidden code does not exist in English
The Swiss coded convention developed in German-language references. An English letter written by an international HR team usually follows Anglo-American habits: shorter, more general and without a structured satisfaction formula. That has two consequences.
First, a Swiss recruiter reading an English letter may still look for familiar signals — a clear performance statement, conduct towards superiors and colleagues, a warm closing — and find them missing. Second, an English letter written by someone in the Swiss office may in fact be a literal translation of German code phrases, which makes it sound odd to native speakers and still carries the code for Swiss readers.
Typical problems with English references
From the letters we see, these issues come up regularly:
- The letter is very short and only confirms role and dates — effectively a confirmation of employment.
- There is no clear overall performance statement.
- Conduct is not mentioned at all, or only towards "the team".
- Literal translations such as "to our full satisfaction" carry the Swiss code into English.
- The German and English versions differ in content or tone.
Two versions are often the best solution
If you plan to stay in the Swiss job market, a reference in the local language is usually the stronger document, because it is what Swiss recruiters are used to reading. If you also apply internationally, an English version is helpful. Ask for both, signed, and make sure they say the same thing. If only one is authoritative, it should be clear which.
If your employer issues only a German version, you can still understand it in detail — but do not rely on machine translation for that, as explained in our guide on translation.
What a good English reference for the Swiss market includes
If your letter will be in English, it helps to ask for the elements Swiss readers expect:
- A description of your role and main responsibilities.
- An explicit overall assessment, e.g. "always performed to our complete satisfaction".
- A statement on conduct towards superiors, colleagues and, where relevant, clients.
- The reason for leaving, if favourable to you.
- A closing with thanks and good wishes for your future.
Can you check an English reference?
Our analysis is designed primarily for German, French and Italian Swiss references, where the coded convention applies. The English output explains those letters to you. If your letter is entirely in English, the most useful check is often a comparison with the elements listed above — and, if a German version exists, an analysis of that version.