Tribunal des prud'hommes judge

Tribunal des prud'hommes judges are referred to as ''lay judge''. In other words, this means that they are not career magistrates: they exercise their main activity as employers or employees in various professional fields of the canton.

Principales activités

Formation

 Aucune formation juridique préalable n’est nécessaire pour exercer la fonction de juge prud’hommes.

Une formation paritaire, organisée avec le concours des partenaires sociaux est proposée aux juges prud’hommes en cours de législature.

En revanche, les juges prud’hommes désirant accéder à la fonction de président∙e de tribunal doivent au préalable être titulaires:

  • Du brevet d’avocat∙e ou
  • Du brevet de président∙e du Tribunal des prud’hommes

Le brevet de président∙e du Tribunal des prud’hommes s’obtient par la réussite d’un examen écrit et d’un examen oral.

Ces examens se déroulent à l’issue d’une formation spécifique organisée par le Pouvoir judiciaire et l’Université Ouvrière de Genève, en collaboration avec la faculté de droit de l’Université de Genève.

Les cours dispensés lors de cette formation sont notamment donnés par des avocat∙e∙s spécialisé∙e∙s dans le droit du travail, des juges de la Chambre des prud’hommes de la Cour de justice, des président∙e∙s et des juristes du Tribunal des prud’hommes, ainsi que des professeur∙e∙s de l’Université de Genève.

Conditions pour être juge

L'article 121 de la loi sur l’exercice des droits politiques (LEDP- A 5 05) fixe les conditions d’éligibilité des juges prud’hommes:

  • Sont éligibles les employeuses et employeurs et salarié∙e∙s, désigné∙e∙s comme tel∙le∙s par les organisations professionnelles:
    • De nationalité suisse, âgé∙e∙s de 18 ans révolus, exerçant depuis un an au moins leur activité professionnelle dans le canton ou, pour les personnes sans emploi au moment du dépôt de la candidature, ayant exercé en dernier lieu leur activité professionnelle dans le canton pendant un an au moins.
    • De nationalité étrangère ayant exercé pendant 8 ans au moins leur activité professionnelle en Suisse, dont la dernière année au moins dans le canton.
  • L’exercice effectif d’une activité en tant qu’employeuse ou employeur ou salarié∙e, de même que le caractère privé ou public du rapport de travail, n’ont pas d’incidence sur l’éligibilité.

Selon l’article 5 alinéa 1 let. f et g de la loi sur l’organisation judiciaire (LOJ - E 2 05), ne peuvent pas être élu∙e∙s les employeuses et employeurs ou salarié∙e∙s qui:

  • Ont subi une condamnation criminelle ou correctionnelle pour des faits portant atteinte à la probité et à l’honneur
  • Sont en état de faillite
  • Ont fait l’objet d’un acte de défaut de biens délivré dans des conditions portant atteinte à la probité et à l’honneur

Les juges prud’hommes sont élu∙e∙s tous les 6 ans par le Grand Conseil. Les candidat∙e∙s à la fonction de juge prud’hommes sont présenté∙e∙s par les partenaires sociaux.

Environnement de travail/organisation

  • Les audiences au tribunal se déroulent, en principe, le soir (dès 18h).
  • Le tribunal siège dans la composition d’un∙e juge fonctionnant en qualité de président∙e, d’un∙e juge prud’homme employeuse ou employeur et d’un∙e juge prud’homme salarié∙e.
  • Le tribunal est secondé par des greffier∙ère∙s-juristes mais, lors de la délibération, les juges prud’hommes prennent seul∙e∙s leur décision, les greffier∙ère∙s-juristes n’ayant qu’une voix consultative.

Qualités requises

  • Ecoute et compréhension d’autrui
  • Sens de la justice
  • Impartialité
  • Disponibilité

The Tribunal des prud'hommes judges are not career magistrates: they exercise this function in addition to their main professional activity; they are lay judges or laymen.

They settle labour law disputes, the underlying principle being that these proceedings are judged by magistrates working in a field close to that of the parties.

The Tribunal des prud'hommes is composed of different professional groups, from which the judges are elected:

  • Group 1: industry, watch industry, construction
  • Group 2: hotels, restaurants and alimentary trade
  • Group 3: non-alimentary trade, trade, personal care, tourism and transport
  • Group 4: banking, insurance, security
  • Group 5: medical and legal professions, information technology, private education, journalism, domestic work and other professions not included in the other groups

This means, for example, that if you work in hairdressing or esthetics, you will be assigned to group 3 and will deal with cases in this field.

The Tribunal des prud'hommes is organized on a parity basis: it is composed of a president and 2 judges, one representing the employer and the other the employee.

You will assist the president with your professional experience and knowledge during the hearings, along with another judge.

Before the hearing, the president explains the case.

During the hearing itself, you participate in the investigation of the case by hearing the parties and witnesses.

At the end of the investigation phase, during the deliberation, you give your opinion and discuss the case and then decide, in agreement with the other members of the panel, whether or not the request is well-founded and what amounts should be granted.

The hearings take place in the evening. They start between 17h30 and 18h30 in one of the Judiciary Power's premises. The average length of a hearing is about 2 hours. However, some are shorter, others much longer.

The president has the authority over the hearing. She/he directs the debates. However, you will be requested and invited to ask questions.

Tribunal des prud'hommes judges are assigned to specific occupational groups, based on their experience or main professional activity (see the Tribunal des prud'hommes page).

You will therefore be assigned to the professional group that corresponds to your activity and will receive cases within your area of expertise.

You will sit on average between one and two evenings per month; the hearings are scheduled several weeks in advance and your availability will be taken into account.

The function of labour judge constitutes an activity that is secondary to your professional activity.

No, it is the knowledge of your profession and your professional experience that are required.

However, during the legislature, the Judiciary Power and the social partners organize a training course for you on labour law, civil proceedings and judicial organization; you can attend it in full or in part.

The courses take place in the evening or at lunchtime and are free of charge.

Although this training is not mandatory, it is highly recommended.

Yes, an indemnity is provided for in article 4 of the Rule relating to the indemnities allocated to various magistrates of the Judiciary Power, to the members of the Tribunal arbitral and to the members of the Conseil supérieur de la magistrature (RIPJ - E 2 40.03).

For the hearings:

  1. For the first hour: Fr. 190.-
  2. For each full additional hour: Fr. 30.-

It is recommended that you discuss this with your employer beforehand.

Tribunal des prud'hommes judges are elected by the cantonal Parliament every 6 years. The candidates for this function are presented to the cantonal Parliament by the social partners, i.e. the Union of Geneva Employers' Associations (UAPG) for the Tribunal des prud'hommes judges representing the employer side and the Geneva Community of Trade Union Action (CGAS) for the Tribunal des prud'hommes judges representing the employee side.

You must therefore contact either the UAPG or the CGAS if you wish to become a Tribunal des prud'hommes judge.

The conditions are set out in article 121 of the law on the exercise of political rights (LEDP - A 5 05).

In particular, you must be at least 18 years old and be able to provide a certificate of good conduct and an attestation that no certificate of shortfall is pending.

It is not necessary to be domiciled in the canton of Geneva.

If you are a Swiss citizen, you must have worked for at least one year in the canton of Geneva.

If you are unemployed, you are eligible but must have last worked in the canton of Geneva for at least one year.

If you are of foreign nationality, you must have worked in Switzerland for 8 years, the last year of which must have been spent in the canton of Geneva.

The age limit for serving as a labour Court judge is 72 years old.

If you were ideally born after January 1, 1958 and if you also meet the conditions of article 121 LEDP, you are eligible for the position of Tribunal des prud'hommes judge.

You can express your interest to the social partners at any time.

The next elections for Tribunal des prud'hommes judges will take place in autumn 2023, with a view to taking office in January 2024.

The beginning of the application process and the selection of the candidates takes place in principle 6 months before the election date.

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