Employment contracts, dismissal, discrimination claims, executive compensation and workforce restructuring.
Filter by specialisation
Rights vary by country, but typically include notice periods, severance pay and the right to challenge unfair dismissal. An employment lawyer can assess your specific situation.
Yes — employment contracts must generally comply with local law regardless of the employer's home country. A local lawyer should review any contract before you sign.
Browse our verified directory of law firms across Poland's major cities. All listed firms offer English-language legal services to expats and foreign nationals.
Find My Lawyer in 60 SecondsPolish employment law is codified in the Kodeks pracy (KP) (Labour Code, consolidated text Dz.U. 2023 poz. 1465). The KP governs employment contracts (umowa o pracę), working time, leave, termination and redundancy. Since 2022, Poland has also transposed the EU Work-Life Balance Directive (2019/1158) and EU Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive (2019/1152), extending paternity and parental leave and requiring written terms from day 1.
| Period | Gross Monthly | Gross Hourly (minimum rate) | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January – 30 June 2025 | 4,300 PLN | 28.10 PLN | Rozporządzenie RM z 12 IX 2024 |
| 1 July – 31 December 2025 | 4,666 PLN | 30.50 PLN | Rozporządzenie RM z 12 IX 2024 |
| Type | Entitlement | KP Article |
|---|---|---|
| Annual leave (urlop wypoczynkowy) | 20 days (<10yr service); 26 days (≥10yr) | art. 154 |
| Maternity leave (urlop macierzyński) | 20 weeks (1 child); 31–37 weeks (multiple) | art. 180 |
| Parental leave (urlop rodzicielski) | 41 weeks (1 child); 43 weeks (multiple); 9 weeks reserved for father | art. 182¹a (amended 2023) |
| Paternity leave (urlop ojcowski) | 2 weeks; within 12 months of birth | art. 182³ |
| Sick leave (zwolnienie lekarskie) | 33 days employer-paid (KP); ZUS from day 34 | art. 92; Ustawa z 25.VI.1999 |
| Service Length | Notice Period (umowa o pracę indefinite) | Odprawa (economic redundancy) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 6 months | 2 weeks | Not applicable (less than 2yr) |
| 6 months – 3 years | 1 month | 1 month salary (if service ≥ 2yr) |
| 3 years and above | 3 months | 1 mth (<2yr) / 2 mth (2–8yr) / 3 mth (>8yr) |
Odszkodowanie za niezgodne z prawem wypowiedzenie (compensation for unlawful dismissal): 1–3 months gross salary (KP art. 47¹). If reinstatement is ordered by the sąd pracy and the employee worked during proceedings, the employer pays wages for up to 2 months (or 3 months for those with special protection — pregnant women, union representatives, pre-retirement workers — KP art. 47). Deadline to contest dismissal: 21 days from receipt of notice (KP art. 264 §1, as amended by KPC; previously 7 days).
Marta, a senior developer earning 14,000 PLN gross/month with 6 years' service, was dismissed without substantive reason (KP art. 30 §4 requires written reason for indefinite-contract dismissal). Sąd rejonowy — sąd pracy. Claim: 3 months' odszkodowanie (42,000 PLN) + 3 months' notice payment (42,000 PLN) = 84,000 PLN total claim. Employer settled at pre-trial mediation: 2 months salary = 28,000 PLN. Legal fees (radca prawny): 4,800 PLN + VAT. Net recovery after costs: approximately 23,200 PLN.
