Attention! Important changes in Poland’s labour law from 2025
As the new year 2025 approaches, employers and employees are reflecting on the changes that will take place in Poland’s labour market.
There have been a number of changes in Employment Law in Poland in 2024 that have triggered a number of obligations on the part of employers. Finally, the long-awaited Act on the Protection of Whistleblowers, which was an implementation of EU legislation, came into force. And what changes await us from 1 January 2025?
Change of minimum wage and hourly rate in 2025
The first significant change is the increase in the minimum remuneration for work, which as of 1 January 2025 will amount to PLN 4666 gross, i.e. it will be higher by PLN 366 than the minimum remuneration in force from 1 July to 31 December 2024 (PLN 4300). Throughout 2025, only one amount of the minimum wage will be in force. There will be no change from 1 July, as in 2024.
The hourly rate will also increase to PLN 30.50 gross, which is PLN 2.40 more than the rate in force in the second half of 2024 (PLN 28.10) and will also apply throughout 2025.
It should be remembered that both the minimum wage and the hourly rate are gross amounts. As of 1 January 2025, an employee earning the minimum wage will receive PLN 3510.92 in their account, which is PLN 249.39 more than in the second half of 2024.
Change in the amount of allowances, severance pay and salary-related components
The change in the minimum wage will also result in changes in benefits whose amount depends precisely on the amount of the minimum wage. There will be an increase in the allowance for night work, remuneration for standby time and downtime, or the basis for calculating sickness benefit or the amount free from bailiff deductions.
There will also be an increase in the total cost of employment borne by the employer, as well as PPK contributions paid by employers and employees and severance pay in the event of termination for reasons unrelated to the employee.
Christmas Eve a statutory holiday in 2025
At the end of 2024, the Parliament started work on enacting a free Christmas Eve. On 24 December 2024, the President signed an amendment to the law on public holidays, which introduces a free Christmas Eve from 2025. At the same time, the legislation on trading on Sundays and other public holidays was amended.
Three trading Sundays were established from December 2025, instead of the previous two trading Sundays. However, it was guaranteed that trade workers would be given every second Sunday off in December. Such a change has resulted in employees having one more day off from 2025 than before (a total of 14 days off per year).
New law on collective agreements
The chapter on collective agreements is to disappear from the Labour Code. It is to be replaced by the Act on Collective Bargaining and Collective Agreements.
The Ministry of Labour informs that the Act, which is to be separated from the Labour Code, is to regulate comprehensively the principles of concluding and recording collective agreements and collective agreements. Under this Act, the definition of employer is to be broader than in the CPC and is modelled on the employer model set out in Article11 (2) of the Trade Union Act of 23 May 1991.
The procedure for concluding and registering collective bargaining agreements is to be simplified, and in the event of a lack of agreement between trade unionists and the employer, there will be the possibility of using a mediator who will help both parties to achieve benefits in an impartial manner.
Changes in the activities of labour offices in the promotion of employment
The Ministry of Labour reports that labour offices are to have a new scope of activity so as to support the unemployed, carers of people with disabilities, families with many children and senior citizens. The new law on the labour market and employment services aims to adapt the activities of public employment services to the dynamically changing realities of the labour market.
The main objective of these changes is to increase economic activation in Poland.
Modification of unemployment benefits in 2025
The modification is to provide the unemployed with an allowance equal to 100% of the basic allowance. New rules will be introduced entitling to a longer period of benefit collection. Unemployed people will be able to benefit for up to 365 days if they belong to one of the groups:
- over 50 years of age and with at least 20 years of entitlement to benefit, or
- having at least one dependent child aged up to 18 or a disabled child aged up to 24, whose spouse is also an unemployed person and lost the right to benefit due to the expiry of the benefit collection period after the day the unemployed person became entitled to the benefit, or
- single parents of at least one child aged up to 18 or a disabled child aged up to 24,
- disabled,
- members of families with many children holding a Large Family Card.
Subsidies for employers
The new regulations also provide for a subsidy for employers wishing to hire employees over 60 or 65 years of age. The subsidy is to amount to a maximum of 50% of the minimum wage per month and is to be granted for 24 months. After the end of the subsidy period, the employer will be obliged to employ the senior citizen for a further 12 months.
The subsidy will not be available to an employer where the senior citizen has already been employed or performed other gainful work for the employer immediately before registering as a jobseeker.
Employers will also be able to count on a higher maximum amount of the loan for the creation of a job position for a disabled person, which will be as much as PLN 75403.60 (previously PLN 45242.16), and they will also be able to use up to 25% of the value of the loan for the personal costs of the employed employee.
What about the 4-day working week and the extension of annual leave?
The government announced some time ago that it had undertaken work on reducing working hours and introducing a 4-day working week. However, these changes will definitely not take place from 2025.
Some European countries have already introduced a shortened working week, so Poland’s government can learn from their experience. Such a change could result in Fridays off and, consequently, longer working hours on other days of the week. The possible entry into force of these changes may not take place until 2027.
The extension of annual leave has been proposed to the Minister of Labour by trade unions. The unions expect an increase of nine days of leave (from 26 days to 35 days). So far, however, there is no response from the Ministry of Labour. We can count on such changes in two years at the earliest.
Further changes in Employment Law in Poland in 2025
For more detailed information on the upcoming changes in labour law, we encourage you to contact the specialists from the labour law department of our law firm at: [email protected].