There is no national minimum wage. The Liechtenstein Workers Association negotiates minimum wages annually with the Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber for Economic Affairs. For a single parent with two children, the minimum annual income was 48,240 Swiss francs ($48,240), or approximately 4,020 Swiss francs ($4,020) per month. For a household of two adults and two children, the minimum annual income was 55,500 Swiss francs ($55,500) per year, or approximately 4,625 Swiss francs ($4,625) per month. The government estimated the poverty income level at 27,600 Swiss francs ($27,600) per year for a single person without family, or approximately 2,300 Swiss francs ($2,300) per month.
The law sets the maximum workweek at 45 hours for white-collar workers, employees of industrial firms, and sales personnel, and 48 hours for other workers. The law provides for a daily mandatory one-hour break and an 11-hour rest period for full-time workers; with few exceptions, the law does not allow work on Sunday. The law requires overtime pay to be at least 25 percent higher than the standard rate, and overtime is generally restricted to two hours per day. Overtime may also be compensated with additional time off. The law provides for a standard workweek, including overtime, which may not exceed an average of 48 hours a week over a period of four consecutive months. The law also provides for four weeks of paid annual holidays for workers above 20 years of age and five weeks of paid annual holidays for workers up to 20 years of age.
Labor laws set occupational safety and health standards, which were up to date and appropriate for the main industries in the country. Workers may remove themselves from situations that endanger their health or safety without jeopardy to their employment, and authorities effectively protected employees in such cases. The labor standards also cover the thousands of workers who commuted daily from neighboring countries. The law covers all professions, but some exceptions to overtime limits were authorized in the areas of nursing and medical treatment. There were additional safeguards for youths, pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as employees with family duties.
These standards were enforced in all sectors, including the informal economy. Penalties took the form of fines and prison sentences between three and six months and were sufficient to deter violations. The Office of Labor Inspection, a part of the Department of National Economy, is responsible for enforcing labor laws, including regulations that mandate a healthy work environment, work hours, holidays, and workplace safety. The agency had three inspectors: one inspector for examining workplace conditions, such as wages and occupational health and safety, and two inspectors for controlling construction sites or work permits. Three inspectors were sufficient to enforce compliance with labor laws.
There were no reports of violations of these labor laws.