How vortex calculates your pay
vortex calculates according to the «Allgemeine Anstellungsbedingungen für freie technische und künstlerische Mitarbeiter der Film- und Audiovisionsproduktion», day engagement 2014 (AAB SSFV). These are the general terms of employment (AAB) for freelance technical and artistic staff in Swiss film and audiovisual production. This page shows how your working hours become your pay. The Pay preview in your rapport recalculates with every entry.
Day rate and hourly rate
Section titled “Day rate and hourly rate”The day rate is your pay for a full work day. You enter it in the master data (Day rate), and you can set a different rate for individual days. A work day has 9 hours (Art. 11.2). The hourly rate is the day rate divided by 9. It is the basis for overtime and the night surcharge.
Full day or half day
Section titled “Full day or half day”Every work day has a Factor:
- 1 (100 %): full day, more than 5 hours of work.
- 0.6 (60 %): partial day, up to and including 5 hours (based on Art. 10.2 and 15.3).
Worked hours are end minus start minus break. If you work 7 hours, you get the full day, not 7/9: vortex has no pure hourly billing. Without times, vortex calculates no amount. On the day card the factor is set to Automatic. If something else was agreed, you choose 1 or 0.6 yourself, and the day is then marked override.
Overtime
Section titled “Overtime”From the 10th hour of work, vortex pays overtime. Each hour is paid at a multiple of the hourly rate (Art. 16.4). In the pay preview these lines appear as “Overtime” with their factor (×1.25 to ×2.5):
| Hour | Rate |
|---|---|
| 10th–11th | 125 % |
| 12th–13th | 150 % |
| 14th–15th | 200 % |
| from the 16th | 250 % |
Part hours count proportionally. This applies on any day with more than 9 hours of work.
Night surcharge
Section titled “Night surcharge”For work between 23:00 and 05:00, 25 % of the hourly rate is added for each night hour (Art. 16.3). The break is not deducted here. If night work and overtime coincide, both surcharges apply (Art. 16.5).
Holiday pay
Section titled “Holiday pay”Holiday pay (labelled “Vacation pay” in the pay preview) is 8.33 % of base pay, that is the day pay without overtime and night surcharge. Under 20 and over 50 it is 10.6 % (Art. 17.1). vortex takes your age on the first recorded work day, from your date of birth.
Deductions and net pay
Section titled “Deductions and net pay”Gross pay = base pay + holiday pay + overtime + night surcharge. The following percentages are deducted from it (default values):
- AHV/IV/EO 5.3 % (old-age and survivors’ insurance, disability insurance and loss-of-earnings compensation)
- ALV 1.1 % (unemployment insurance)
- UVG/NBU 1.155 % (accident insurance for non-occupational accidents)
- KTG 0 % (daily sickness allowance for loss of pay through illness, not compulsory)
- VFA 6 % (the film and audiovision pension foundation), only if you ticked VFA insured
AHV/IV/EO, ALV and VFA are fixed. The production team can adjust the rates for UVG/NBU and KTG, also per project. The percentages for your rapport are shown next to each deduction in the Pay preview. Gross pay minus deductions gives net pay. For people liable to withholding tax, the production team also deducts withholding tax. It is shown on the payslip.
Expenses and receipts
Section titled “Expenses and receipts”vortex pays out expenses and receipts without deductions. The per diems (Art. 22.1): breakfast CHF 10.–, main meal CHF 32.–, private car CHF 0.70 per km. These can also be set per project. Receipts for other expenses (for example hotel or parking) are reimbursed 1:1. Total payout = net pay + expenses + receipts.
Worked example
Section titled “Worked example”Day rate CHF 540.00 (hourly rate CHF 60.00), 36 years old, not VFA insured. Two days:
- “Load-in day”: 08:00–12:30, no break = 4.5 hours, factor 0.6.
- “Shoot day”: 10:00–23:30, 30 minutes break = 13 hours, factor 1. Plus one main meal, 40 km and a receipt “Parking” for CHF 25.00.
| Item | Calculation | CHF |
|---|---|---|
| Base pay, load-in day | 540.00 × 0.6 | 324.00 |
| Base pay, shoot day | 540.00 × 1 | 540.00 |
| Holiday pay 8.33 % | 864.00 × 0.0833 | 71.97 |
| Overtime, hours 10–11 | 2 h × 60.00 × 1.25 | 150.00 |
| Overtime, hours 12–13 | 2 h × 60.00 × 1.5 | 180.00 |
| Night surcharge 23:00–23:30 | 0.5 h × 60.00 × 0.25 | 7.50 |
| Gross pay | 1’273.47 | |
| AHV/IV/EO 5.3 % | −67.49 | |
| ALV 1.1 % | −14.01 | |
| UVG/NBU 1.155 % | −14.71 | |
| Net pay | 1’177.26 | |
| Expenses | 1 × 32.00 + 40 × 0.70 | 60.00 |
| Receipt “Parking” | 25.00 | |
| Total payout | 1’262.26 |