Conditions in the Swiss labor market are improving, according to data released by the Federal Statistics Office.

The public agency disclosed that non-farm payrolls fell by just 0.1 per cent in the final three months of 2009 to 3.96 million, while overall payrolls actually increased by 0.1 per cent on figures recorded in the third quarter.

The statistics office's employment outlook also rose in the period by 0.4 per cent as optimism about economic and labor market recovery grows in Switzerland, Reuters reported.

In addition, the overall seasonally-adjusted index of vacancies was recorded at 7.5 per cent more than in the third quarter - although this still fell 11 per cent year-on-year.

According to the news agency, the office said: "The indicators point to a rise in employment in the first quarter."

Earlier this month, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs revealed that Switzerland's non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose by 0.1 per cent to 4.5 per cent in January, which was less than economists had feared.