Publication date: April 07, 2025
core changes 2025 regarding the employment of Polish workers
| Change | Legal basis | What is changing | Obligations for the employer/ employee | Date of entry into force | Comment |
| Increase in the minimum wage | Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 13 September 2024 | The minimum wage increases to PLN 4,666 gross per month, and the minimum hourly rate to PLN 30.50 gross. | The employer must adjust wages. | January 1, 2025 | Affects other benefits dependent on the minimum wage. |
| Christmas Eve is a day off from work | Art. 1 of the Act of 6 December 2024 amending the Act on non-working days | Establishing December 24 (Christmas Eve) as a public holiday. | The employer must include the new day off in the work schedule. The employee gains an additional day off from work. | February 1, 2025 | It may affect the organization of work during the holiday season. |
| Additional maternity leave for parents of premature babies and newborns requiring longer hospitalization | Art. 180^2 of the Labor Code | Introduction of supplementary maternity leave: up to 15 weeks for parents of children born before the 28th week of pregnancy or with a birth weight below 1,000 g, up to 8 weeks for children born between the 28th and 37th week of pregnancy with a birth weight above 1,000 g. | The employer is obliged to grant additional maternity leave at the employee’s request. The employee (parent) has the right to use additional leave. | March 19, 2025 | Benefit 100% of the assessment base. |
| Change in the definition of mobbing | Art. 94^3 paragraph 2 of the Labor Code | The new definition of mobbing focuses on persistent harassment of an employee. The term persistence refers to actions that are repetitive, recurrent and constant. | The employer is obliged to counteract mobbing in the workplace. The employee can pursue claims related to mobbing under the new rules. | January 1, 2025 | Increase in minimum compensation for victims of mobbing. |
| Changes to unemployment benefits | Amendment to Article 71 § 2 of the Act on Employment Promotion and Labor Market Institutions | Extension of the catalogue of periods included in the 365 days entitling to unemployment benefit, covering military service, civil defence service and periods of service in the Police, Border Guard and other uniformed services. | Employment offices must take the new periods into account when determining entitlement to benefits. | January 1, 2025 | Increased social protection for those involved in the country’s defence and security. |
| Unemployed status and care over the child | Amendment to Article 33, paragraph 4g, point 4 Employment Promotion Act | An unemployed person will not lose their status unemployed due to taking care of a child, including maternity leave, parental leave and other leave related to taking care of a child, except for situations when the person themselves submits an application to deprive themselves of this status. | An employee has the right to retain unemployed status during maternity and parental leave. | January 1, 2025 | Increasing social protection for people combining childcare with job search. |
| PFRON funding | Art. 26a of the Act of 27 August 1997 amending the Act on vocational and social rehabilitation and employment of disabled persons | Increasing the amounts of funding for disabled employees. | The employer may receive higher support. | January 1, 2025 | Its aim is to support the employment of people with disabilities. |