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Poland ranks highly on factors such as education, safety and standard of living, so there is no surprise that hiring from Poland can help your business grow quickly. But before you hire your first Polish employee, you should familiarise yourself with the country’s labour rules and employment laws and regulations.
Even though hiring in Poland can seem complicated and confusing if this is the first time you’re hiring from this country, Poland has similar employment compliance to other EU countries.
Companies and individuals are adopting the concept of working remotely, and Poland is no different.
Poland is a country with great tech talent, a welcoming startup environment, and a rising business environment. Furthermore, it is also one of the most economically stable and fastest-developing countries in the world, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s one of the top places for international expansion.
If you want to start hiring from Poland but don’t want to spend time opening up a separate business entity, you can use Native Teams’ Employer of Record services.
We can take care of payroll, compliance, taxes, benefits and onboarding of your new employees. Native Teams has an entity in Poland, so we can help you hire your new team members in compliance with local laws.
Hire your first Polish employee with Native Teams.
When employers decide to hire and onboard new team members from Poland, they must follow an established set of labour laws and regulations.
The Polish labour law governs many aspects of employment, including working conditions and hours, wages, leave, safety, and employment termination. Important parts of labour law include the Labor Code, collective labour agreements, and individual employment contracts. These help to define the rights and duties of both employers and employees.
In Poland, the open-ended employment contract, referred to as ‘na czas nieokreślony’, is the most common and stable form of employment. If a contract doesn’t specify a duration, it’s automatically considered indefinite.
However, in certain situations, a fixed-term employment contract can be used to establish a temporary work relationship with a set end date, typically to fulfil short-term job needs. These contracts can last for up to 33 months with the same employee and can’t be renewed more than three times.
The employment contract must be in written form and should contain details about the parties involved, the type of contract, the date of signing, the working conditions, and the compensation. Specifically, it should outline the nature of the work, the location where work will be conducted, the compensation relevant to the job, along with its breakdown, the work hours, and the start time of the work.
Download a free employment contract for Poland through Native Teams.
In Poland, it’s a standard practice to have the employment contract in a written form. But it’s crucial to understand that if the contract isn’t written down, it doesn’t mean the agreement isn’t valid. Even without a written document, what the employer and employee agree upon still counts legally.
The probationary period shouldn’t exceed more than three months, but it can be longer if the worker was away temporarily, like due to sickness, or if they used maternity or parental leave.
An employee can’t work for more than one employer for over 40 hours a week, except for additional work by the employee. Part-time employees work fewer hours than full-time employees. If the nature of work or its organisation doesn’t allow for regular eight-hour days, the employer can use a balanced working time system, extending the daily working time up to 12 hours.
The timing of shift for night work can differ. According to Polish labour laws, night work usually means working between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Someone is considered a night worker if they work for at least three hours during this time within a 24-hour period.
Polish labour laws require employees to work for at least 6 hours a day and take a break of at least 15 minutes each day unless other laws say otherwise. Furthermore, employees have the right to rest for at least 11 hours in a row every day and a weekly rest period of at least 35 continuous hours.
Employees receive annual vacation days based on their tenure. Those with less than 10 years of service get 20 days, while those with at least 10 years get 26 days per calendar year. All past employments, regardless of gaps or termination, count towards this calculation.
In Poland, there are 13 official public holidays celebrated each year, each with its own importance. These include New Year’s Day on January 1st, Epiphany on January 6th, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday (dates vary), Labour Day on May 1st, and more.
These holidays carry cultural, historical, and religious significance in Polish society, and they are usually marked with various traditions, celebrations, and customs.
As of January 2025, Poland increased its minimum wage by 9% to PLN 4,666 gross, reflecting a PLN 366 rise from the second-half 2024 rate of PLN 4,300.
To calculate the salary and taxes in Poland, click here.
The primary healthcare provider determines when an employee is temporarily unable to work and for how long. A certificate from this provider confirms the sick leave period, allowing the employee to receive salary compensation.
Employees under 50 years old can take up to 33 sick days per calendar year. Those aged 50 and above, including those who turn 50 during the year, are entitled to a maximum of 14 sick days per calendar year.
Parents have the right to parental leave to fulfil caregiving duties, which usually lasts 41 or 43 weeks. Once the parental leave ends, employers must reemploy the employee in their previous position or, if that’s not possible, offer a similar position with terms at least as favourable as before the leave began.
Pregnant employees with an employment contract get maternity leave, also called “urlop macierzyński”. It usually lasts 20 weeks and can start up to 6 weeks before the due date, giving mothers time to prepare for childbirth and care afterwards.
Likewise, insured fathers in Poland get 2 weeks of paid paternity leave, known as “urlop ojcowski”. Both employed and self-employed fathers can take this leave within 12 months of their child’s birth.
Termination of an employment contract can take various forms. It may occur through mutual agreement between the parties involved, by one party providing notice according to the agreed termination notice period, or by immediate termination without notice.
Additionally, contracts can end upon the expiration of the agreed duration or the completion of a specific task outlined in the contract. In the case of employment contracts for trial periods, termination can happen when the term ends or earlier through notice.
Employers have the authority to terminate an employment contract without notice in cases where the employee is at fault. Such instances include a serious breach of fundamental duties, engagement in criminal activities during employment rendering the employee unsuitable for continued work, or the loss of a necessary license due to the employee’s negligence.
In the case of an indefinite contract, regular dismissal entails specific notice periods. If the employee’s tenure is less than 6 months, the notice period is 2 weeks. For employees who have served for at least 6 months, the notice period extends to 1 month. However, if the employee’s tenure spans at least 3 years, the notice period is 3 months.
In situations where the employee holds a position involving financial responsibility for assigned assets, the parties may agree in the employment contract to reduce the termination notice period to 1 month.
To qualify for unemployment allowance, individuals need to meet specific requirements. Firstly, they must have been employed for at least 365 days within the preceding 18 months, which encompasses employment not only in Poland but also in other European Union countries.
Additionally, during this qualifying period, the individual must have earned at least the minimum wage. Another prerequisite is mandatory registration at the Poviat Labour Office. Applicants must not have received any offers of employment, internships, or training during the application period.
In Poland, severance pay is determined by several factors, including the length of an employee’s service and the size of the company.
The employee isn’t allowed to engage in any business related to the employer’s activities without the employer’s consent. If the employee violates this prohibition, the employer has the right to seek compensation for any resulting damages. This prohibition is valid when specified in a separate agreement between the employer and the employee.
Employees and employers can agree to a remote work arrangement. This can be permanent, temporary, or occasional, provided that the nature of the job and safety regulations allow for it. An employee working on-site may propose changes to their employment contract to enable remote work for a specific period, such as during pregnancy, parental duties for children up to four years old, or caring for a family member.
If an employee proposes changes to their employment contract for remote work, the employer must respond and can only refuse the request with valid reasons communicated in writing. Within 3 months of starting remote work, either party can request to return to previous working conditions. They must agree on a timeline for this transition, which should not exceed 30 days from the date of the request.
It’s the employer’s responsibility to guarantee that employees working from home at least half of their daily hours on a computer adhere to occupational health and safety laws. This involves furnishing a workstation that meets ergonomic standards and covering the expenses for any required eyewear.
According to Polish law, the creator of a work typically retains copyright. However, when an employee produces intellectual property within their job responsibilities and utilising their employer’s resources, ownership rights to the work commonly belong to the employer unless otherwise specified in an employment contract or collective agreement.
The primary legislation governing data protection in Poland is the Act on the Protection of Personal Data (APDP), which aligns with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
In the employment context, employers routinely collect and process various types of personal data for legitimate purposes such as recruitment, payroll management, and performance evaluation. However, the processing of sensitive data, such as health information or biometric data, requires special protection and explicit consent from employees.
Hiring employees from Poland offers several advantages compared to other countries. Firstly, Poland has a well-educated workforce with a strong emphasis on technical skills, making Polish employees highly capable and adaptable to various roles.
Additionally, Poland boasts a relatively lower cost of living compared to some Western European countries, which can result in more competitive labour costs for employers.
Furthermore, Poland’s geographic location in Central Europe provides strategic access to markets within the European Union, facilitating easier business operations and logistics. The country has also experienced significant economic growth in recent years, indicating a stable and increasingly prosperous environment for businesses.
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