Cantonal difference?
Either had to go to the commerce registry (is that the right translation for Handelsregister?) or to go to the Notary to send it by post. Notary was much closer in my case. That would be Canton Zurich.
Is that including the Handelsregister registration ?
But main message, for setting up the sole propriorship, do not go via these predatory companies who will do that for you at a rate of 200 CHF or something. It is not worth it.
Good call for the unemployment insurance.
However, not being registered can have negative effects in other areas (especially between businesses, to get good payment terms etc.)
Hi everyone, many thanks for your help. The unemployment benefits issue might be a deal breaker, since I’m on a fixed-term contract. It’s hard to believe that, after 2300CHF/year, one would lose the right to unemployment benefits, given that such amount would barely cover the living costs of 1 month (not doubting anyone here, just sharing the frustration).
If that is the “registre du commerce” in French, it’s optional until you generate more than 100’000 CHF in revenue. For LLC, it’s directly registered when you create the entity, and you indeed need a notary for LLCs.
I see - I first understood that registering with the AHV meant registration with the commercial registry and, therefore, losing unemployment benefits. Thanks for clarifying. Happy to learn one can move on without too much hustle and see how it goes.
Hi everyone,
I have been reading the Mustachianpost for more than a year now but never looked into the forum.
I stumbled upon this thread. I am also starting to make some (very little) earnings on the side. It will stay well below 2300 CHF this year.
And I saw this:
Are you sure about that?
I do not see myself explaining my employer about that side business which has nothing to do with my day job.
Did all of you (that have side jobs) informed your employer?
Thanks for your inputs.
Check your contract or your employment guidelines, usually there is a section regarding this topic
You are right, @weirded
Thanks.
It’s not in my contract but in our internal rules.
It does state that I need the approval of my supervisor and from HR before I start the side business.
Well, I’m a bit late… (actually, I did not think I would earn money with this).
And it’s not in the line of work of my day job.
I just won’t tell them. It’s all good with my supervisor. But HR is so childish, it might become a thing…
Then better tell them before they turn it into a fireable offense. Afaik they can’t really say no if it’s not affecting your performance of your day job.
Be careful, I think the can say no if the amount of hours that you work exceed a certain range. However, in the real world I guess it’s hard to prove that for a company unless you are using the company device for your work etc. I think there was an article recently that many office workers are getting a side hustle during their WFH.
Actually, this side business is not a hustle.
To tell the truth, it’s a small website I own. I added affliate links in it and now it’s generating some bucks. Not a whole lot, but still…
I am not working on it during my day job. I, sometimes, use the computer the company gives me: when I am travelling and working a bit on the website on the evening from the hotel and sometimes from home as well (it’s quicker to transition from work when I feel like working on this website).
Now that it’s generating some $ I think about growing it.
Telling my employer about that side business will just raise some doubts about my commitment within the company (which, for me, has never been in question: I am very commited). The only impact that would have is: I could be more “scrutinized” and people talk (especially some HR 
)…
All this trouble for a small website that earns me close to $50 per month right now? No way.
I am not sure about Switzerland but in France a company could claim the work/projects you are doing on a side if you are using their equipment to do it or software licensed by your company.
Well, most of the time, I am not “working” on this website with the equipment of my company. As I mentioned, I use it from time to time to do so. It’s not black and white.
But you have a good point here.
I should probably have my own device handy every time I travel.
I became aware of the affiliate business almost by accident and looked more into it. There is a whole community out there and, guess what? Most of these people do not share their websites and almost all of these are created under a pen name. I found out a few of these and the “about page” looks like it’s a a real persone with a real name, but it’s not. I feel there is no breach of law if you write under a pen name.
Maybe the law is different on that matter in Switzerland. I don’t know.
Thanks for this thorough answer. I really appreciate your comment.
Regarding my employer, I am not trying to hide anything. I just think it is not relevant.
Putting your full name out there might lead to someone you know noticing it and questioning what you are doing. That could also be a co-worker. That might be a bit annoying. At first my small website was only written with my first name, as I felt not ready to put my full name out there (and it was not even monetized).
The creation of the company is probably the best solution. Yes, your name can be found in the paperwork, but you can partner with someone (from your family) and explain you help them out if someone ask you anything about it. The company name does not have to be the name of the website. Nobody is exaclty aware of which website is managed by that company.
But it’s probably not worth it if the website generates only $50 par month.
Another option is to create a company outside Switzerland (I have family ties in France & Germany). I think there are some options available for small business.
The only thing to make this viable (through a company creation) is to make that business grow. But this is not what I originally envisioned (and that might enter in conflict with my day job). I like my day job and my work ethic does not allow me to cut back on the quality of my work.
For now I do not delete these affiliate links that generate a little cash on the side, but I will have to think it through quickly. 
Wouldn’t MP need to do this - perhaps he found a workaround?
I’m quite positive you are overblowing the issue.
The only likely downside is that the HR might laugh you out of the room when you report and tell them it’s about 50chf/month, but at least you did the right thing. 
Mega corp had the same US clauses related all work on company devices belongs to them which made me split the use uf devices very very strictly. In the new company I often see people using the company owned devices for their private stuff… can’t recommend, just buy your own instead.
Hi Jarvis,
I strongly recommend obtaining a proper approval from your employer to earn money on the side.
I did so a few years ago just to cover potential earnings from such a business. What I took away from that episode:
Check what your contract says about using equipment for other than work-related purposed. If it’s not absolutely forbidden, using equipment a few hours per week will not violate the general contract.
When companies give permission, they have to and will remind you of the limitations of the side hustle, as others have written. This is particularly relevant if you have a 100% contract, because no employer wants to have an employee that is overworked and not fully focused on the contractually obliged work. So you mustn’t use all of your vacation for working on the side, you need recover for your main job. Same for maximum weekly hours and minimum breaks between work (main or side job). at a minimum, they have a right to assess potential interference (=being a competition) with your main job and their business. From what I heard, this part is usually not an issue, i. e. they can only refuse permission with very good reason.
As others have written: Even if you’re a happy employee, don’t give more information than necessary when requesting permission. In this case: What you’re doing = blogging + affiliate marketing. How much you intend to earn (or are earning) is not a required information and something strictly between you and the tax authorities.
So in your situation: Get permission with the minimum information, enjoy the pocket money and develop your side hustle. It seems that while many side hustle aren’t superior to, e. g., negotiating a higher salary or switching jobs, they have beneficial side effects.
Otherwise: Awkward situation when someone finds out about your side hustle without you having asked for permission. Many people have such a permission, so getting one raises fewer eyebrows that you might imagine.
Obligatory qualifier: I’m not a professional adviser in these matters. A little bit of googling shows a good article for people in Switzerland at The Poor Swiss (very thorough and practical, as always) and zurichtogeneva.com (esp. on the non-monetary aspects).
Cheers,
J.
Hi everyone,
Thanks to all of you for your valuable inputs (I know it takes time to write these lengthy comments).
For now, I am not doing anything. As I stated earlier, the internal rules of my company state that if one has a side gig he has to inform the employer by filling a specific form. I did not find that form in our intranet (but I did not spend time to look in the other two languages - I already faced that problem in the past: some forms are not available in all languages). I am not ruling out informing my employer. I will just wait a little before deciding.
Meanwhile, I am starting a new blog. In case I inform them and they ask more detailed questions about my site, I will show this new site. I would understand if they asked about it: for example, to ensure I am not using my knowledge from the company to earn money on the side. I do not want to divulgate my first site as I am mentioning personal issues I do not want to reveal.
One of my colleagues (which I am not very close to) mentioned once that he has been doing consulting work for third parties. He’s a director in our firm and I expect him to earn quite a lot and I have been very surprised that he mentioned that side gig so casually. I will try to get the opportunity to ask him, in the coming weeks, if he declared it to the company. His consulting work is based on the same knowledge he is using for his main job, which is not the case for my website. If he asks questions about my site, I will have the new site to show.
Let’s be honest. That small side gig earned me $25 in January, $37 in February and is getting towards $60 in March. It’s growing slowly, but it’s growing. Now that I got a taste of it, I want more. I will grow this thing.
My primary focus is my day job. I work hard, I am getting results for my employer, and I am grateful for the pay and the opportunities that have been given to me so far. But, in face of uncertainties and in order to get closer to FIRE, one needs to multiply its sources of income.
Even if it’s not much, I push for income stream diversification (real estate, that side gig). Except from my 3a pillar, I am currently out of the stock market (but I am ready to jump in once things settle a bit).
I will probably inform my employer in the course of the year. But it’s not a sure thing.
If this site is still growing, I will certainly create a LLC next year in order to have it manage that side gig. At that point I might outsource some of the work in order to grow it more passively.
That’s the plan.
Things never go as planned. But once you have a plan, you can review it and adapt it (based on the data you gather).
My website is also helping people (it’s not all about money). I feel a little proud about that.
And I am not entirely greedy (at least I hope I am not). I gave a few hundred bucks for Ukraine charity last week (more than I will earn this year with this side gig, which will not be deductible) because I am really depressed when I see what happens over there.
The earnings from that side gig are for more security (and possibly resilience in face of possible hard times to come).
Anyway, thanks for your inputs and comments. I appreciate it.
It’s a great community.
I’d like to raise some more questions regarding this topic. I have some .com domains registered for a while now, and was thinking about starting a private blog (that though has been there for 2 years or even longer). So far, I really hesitated to do it exactly because of the reasons mentioned above.
I know that some other forum member also run websites under pseudonymes where the only contact information is either an email address or a contact form. Some of the websites also have affiliate links or are offering services. I don’t want to link any of you directly, because I don’t want to raise more awareness.
From what I read so far: even a private website without any affiliate or services offered needs to be DSGVO compliant if it can be reached from an EU country. (thanks for nothing, EU parliament…)
Also the two websites mentioned by @Johnny_B don’t have a proper imprint. I understand that protecting your identity is important (MP for starters) when it comes to a sensitive topic like money, but how are people dealing with the risk?
I know in Switzerland you don’t have lawyers threating to sue you because of a missing imprint, but e.g. in Germany there are companies specialized on this topic.
So, to summarize: how are people who are running an anonymous website dealing with the risk of being sued / having to pay?