Four-day working week – a groundbreaking opportunity for companies. Government pilot program with subsidies of up to PLN 1 million is launched!

June 27, 2025 The Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Policy announced a pilot program to reduce the work week, which is a first in Central and Eastern Europe.

From August 14 to September 15, 2025, both private companies and public sector entities can apply for subsidies to implement various options for working less than the standard 40 hours, while maintaining current wages and the number of jobs.

The program will test in real-life conditions whether reducing hours will maintain or even increase efficiency and service quality, improve staff well-being, and make better use of automation and digital tools.

The results of the two-year test, whose participants will be announced by October 15 at the latest, are expected to provide the government with hard data and good practices necessary to implement possible changes to working time regulations, responding to growing social expectations regarding work-life balance.

From a 4-day week to flexible schedules – a full range of models to test

The Ministry of Labor has given employers a lot of leeway. As part of the pilot program, almost any scheme for reducing working hours can be proposed, as long as it is described in detail in the application and the measures of success – such as productivity, staff turnover, and absenteeism – are clearly indicated. The most popular solutions include:

• four-day working week,
• reduction in daily working hours,
• additional paid days off per month,
• longer vacation breaks
• flexible schedules tailored to business needs.

However, it is important to remember that it is not just about changing the calendar. Shorter working hours require a different approach to priorities, processes, and leadership. Companies must prove that they can organize their responsibilities more efficiently, respecting the time of both the organization and its employees.

Who can apply for the pilot program?

Participation in the program is open to both private companies and public sector entities, provided that they have been operating on the market for at least one year.

To qualify, an organization should have at least 75 percent of its staff employed on employment contracts and include at least half of its entire workforce in the test.

During the project, the level of employment cannot fall by more than 10 percent compared to the initial level, and the employer must guarantee that salaries and working conditions will remain at least the same as on the day the pilot program began.

How much can you get?

The government has allocated a total of PLN 10 million for the project. Each employer who successfully passes the recruitment process for the program can receive up to PLN 1 million in funding. The support limit per pilot participant is PLN 20,000. This amount is intended to offset the costs of reducing working hours and facilitate the financing of necessary investments, from new procedures and training to software and process automation.

Participants’ responsibilities and benefits of the program

Entities qualified for the pilot program are required to submit quarterly detailed reports presenting both the results of employee surveys and measurable business indicators. The reliability of the monitoring is a condition for retaining the full amount of the funds allocated and avoiding the obligation to return them.

However, participation in the project is not just about the subsidy. Companies gain the opportunity to test shorter working hours in controlled conditions and with the substantive support of experts.

Market experience to date shows that where this model works, team commitment increases and employee turnover decreases. As a result, the employer’s reputation improves, making it easier to recruit talent who prioritize work-life balance.

How to prepare for participation in the pilot program?

If your organization is considering applying for the program, it is worth starting the preparatory work as soon as possible.

The first step should be to analyze the company’s structures to identify units where a shorter working week can be implemented without harming key processes. At the same time, a preliminary cost estimate should be prepared – funds from the Labor Fund reserve (up to PLN 1 million per project, maximum PLN 20,000 per employee) are to cover expenses related to the reorganization, but the employer must be able to justify them precisely.

It is worth planning methods for evaluating the effects right away; the ministry expects quarterly reports based on both employee surveys and hard business indicators.

At the same time, HR teams should prepare draft amendments to work regulations and contract annex templates so that by December 2025, when the organizational phase begins, the documentation is ready and communication with the staff is consistent and transparent.

Applications for the program will be accepted exclusively online through a special application generator. The application package includes, among other things,

• a form for granting funds,
• a description of the pilot concept with clearly defined objectives, measures of success and business justification,
• as well as a set of statements confirming timely payment of tax liabilities, no arrears with the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) and readiness for ongoing cooperation with the employment office.

Submission of an application does not guarantee that a grant will be awarded – the list of selected projects will be announced by October 15, 2025, at the latest, after which the contract signing procedure will begin.

The schedule below shows the three key stages of the government’s pilot program for reduced working hours, along with deadlines and the most important tasks for participating employers.

Final thought – time to act!

The shortened work week is no longer a distant vision, but a publicly supported project based on hard data. Funding of up to PLN 1 million, the opportunity to test flexible working time models without the risk of salary reductions, and the chance to improve team productivity and well-being are arguments that companies cannot ignore.

The call for applications starts on August 14, and the deadline for submitting a complete application is September 15, 2025. If your organization is ready for bold solutions and can plan change in a measurable way, it is worth securing resources, building an interdisciplinary project team, and starting internal consultations today.

Another opportunity like this may not come around quickly, and the experiences of participants could set a new standard for the labor market in Poland.

More details – full rules, application forms, and current announcements—are available on the website of the Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Policy.

Do you need legal support? Contact our team – we will be happy to help you through the entire process.

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