An optical switch for controlling an operative condition of a headset. The headset includes a microphone boom that is rotatable with respect to a housing for the headset. A rotator element is coupled to the microphone boom such that the rotator element rotates with respect the housing along with the microphone boom. Selected portions of a surface of the rotator element are conditioned to be more reflective than the remaining portions. Alternately, portions of the rotator element are opaque. A pair of optical transceivers are in fixed positions relative to the housing. When the microphone boom is positioned approximately straight upward with respect to a user's head, reflective portions of the rotator element are within a field of view of each optical transceiver of the pair. In this position, the headset is in an "off" or "standby" mode. When the microphone boom is positioned approximately level with the ground, a reflective portion of the rotator element is not within the field of view of the first optical transceiver, while a reflective portion is within the field of view of the second optical transceiver. In this, position, the headset is in an "mute" mode. When the microphone boom is pointing downward, a reflective portion in not in the field of view of either of the two optical transceivers. In this position, the headset is in a "talk" mode. The optical transceivers are less susceptible to wear, contamination and misalignment, and occupy less space than prior mechanical switch devices.