Neuchâtel wood-sector agreement: pay, hours and expenses 2026

For a carpentry or joinery business in Neuchâtel, the Western Switzerland finishing-trades agreement and its cantonal provisions are a starting point to verify. There is no single agreement for all construction businesses: check the activity, covered roles and affiliation first.

References and examples: 2026.

Classify the employee and check two amounts

Keep evidence of qualifications and experience supporting the pay class. Check both the class minimum and the annual adjustment to actual salaries. Pay above the minimum does not necessarily remove the obligation to apply an agreement increase.

The 2026 Neuchâtel joint circular lists CHF 5,509 monthly for ordinary class A and a general actual-pay increase of CHF 53.30 monthly, halved for the high-pay case defined in the circular. Check the conditions; these are not universal construction-sector figures.

Organise hours and holidays

BMT time tracking uses the ordinary 41-hour full-time calendar for this profile. The industry's 2026 calendar supports checks of working days and public holidays.

Record work intervals, breaks, projects and travel daily. A shorter week caused by a public holiday is not necessarily an hours deficit. A variable summer/winter schedule requires its own rule and cannot be inferred from the ordinary calendar.

Support meals and travel with evidence

A meal allowance is not payable merely because a day was worked. Check the agreement's conditions, work location and whether reimbursement has already occurred. For mileage, distinguish eligible business journeys from private travel and identify the vehicle. Consult the finishing-trades agreement, Articles 23 and 24.

Example: a team visits a distant site. The supervisor confirms meal eligibility, business kilometres and amounts not yet reimbursed. The statement then separates wages from expenses. Do not automatically deduct thirty minutes of travel per day.

Check insurance and industry contributions

Use actual affiliations and plans for pensions, sickness cover and industry contributions. A generic pension percentage may not describe the applicable scheme. Check the 13th salary and holidays for the person and period concerned.

How BMT makes the work easier

BMT compares minimum pay, actual salary and supporting documents. Reviewed days and a closed time month support the preparation of documented expenses, with human confirmation. Eligible reimbursements remain separate from gross pay. Time records do not post accounting entries; payroll approval is a separate process.

Read more: choosing an agreement · posting withholding tax.

FAQ

Does the same agreement cover all construction workers?

No. Activity, territory and role matter. Main construction and finishing trades must be distinguished.

Does every expense reimbursement increase gross salary?

Not necessarily. Classification and evidence determine treatment. Distinguish an eligible reimbursement from additional pay.

How should a summer or winter schedule be prepared?

Establish the applicable calendar, planned hours and change dates. Have its compliance with the agreement confirmed before using it.