Updated: 05.05.2025
Many of our clients ask for a Polish employment contract template, hoping that one document will cover everything they need under Polish employment law. In many countries, that would be enough. However, in Poland, the legal system requires much more.
To fully protect your employment relationship and ensure various employee rights, you’ll also need several supporting documents to comply with the law – and to achieve important protections like enforcing a non-compete clause.
What Types of Employment Contract Templates Are Available?
When it comes to hiring in Poland, there isn’t just one type of employment contract template. Depending on your situation, you’ll need one of these:
- A fixed-term employment contract template that clearly outlines the employee’s responsibilities,
- An indefinite employment contract template that includes detailed descriptions of the employee’s responsibilities,
- A probationary period contract template specifying the employee’s responsibilities during the trial period.
Important: A probationary period must always be handled through a separate contract – you can’t just “add it in” to a fixed term or indefinite employment agreement. This is a legal requirement to protect both the employer and the employee under local laws, ensuring clarity on the employee’s pay and responsibilities.
What Should Your Full Employment Set Include?
Because Polish labor law imposes strict requirements, we typically prepare a complete employment set for our clients – not just a single employment contract template.
This ensures full compliance, smooth onboarding of a new employee, and better legal protection for the employer’s business.
Your standard employment set will typically include:
- Work Terms Information Statement (required by Article 29 of the Labour Code)
- Statement on Acknowledgement of Internal Regulations and Health & Safety Rules
- Candidate Questionnaire (personal data needed to establish an employment relationship)
- Employee Questionnaire (personal data for managing the employment relationship)
- Data Processing Information Statement or Consent Form
- Information Statement on Non-Discrimination and Mobbing
- Confidentiality Agreement (protecting sensitive business and confidential information)
- Non-Competition Agreement During Employment
- Non-Competition Agreement After Employment
- Company Property Handover Agreement (e.g., for cars, laptops, tools)
- Training Agreement (for employees improving their professional qualifications)
The documents listed in points 1–5 are mandatory under Polish law and must accompany any employment agreement.
The documents listed from point 6 onwards, while technically voluntary, are highly recommended to protect trade secrets, enforce non compete clauses, and manage company resources effectively.
Additional Employment Documents Tailored to Your Needs
Depending on your sector and business model, we can also prepare additional documents to support your employment policies and protect your company’s interests, including intellectual property:
- Remote Work Regulations (for companies employing multiple remote workers)
- Agreement on Remote Work (for individual remote working arrangements)
- Applications for Remote Work / Occasional Remote Work
- Request for Flexible Working Hours (for employees caring for children or dependents)
- Statements Related to Task-Based Work Assignments
- Bonus Regulations and Statements on Awarding a Bonus
- Employer’s Disciplinary Statements and Statements on Termination
- Waivers of Non-Competition Clauses
- Mutual Agreements to Terminate Employment
- Work Regulations (mandatory for companies with 50+ employees)
- Remuneration Regulations (also mandatory for companies with 50+ employees)
Each of these documents ensures that both the employer and the employee maintain a mutual understanding of their obligations, helping avoid future conflicts regarding employee’s responsibilities, severance pay, employment terms, probationary periods, or legal remedies in case of employee termination.
Why a Single Employment Contract Template Isn’t Enough
It might be tempting to download a free employment contract template online and call it a day – but that’s risky. Without the full set of required and optional documents, you leave your company exposed when it comes to key issues like employee benefits, vacation time, overtime pay, health insurance, employee’s salary, notice periods, employee’s rights, and severance agreements.
Even more, using templates from countries that allow at-will employment or independent contractor agreements can cause major legal headaches in Poland.
Whether you’re hiring full-time employees, part-time employees, or temporary employees, protecting your company and securing a strong employment relationship requires a complete and well-prepared documentation package.
How We Can Help You
Need help preparing your employment contract template – or better yet, a full employment set tailored to your company’s needs? We’re ready to guide you through every step of the hiring process and make sure your new hires start on the right legal footing.
Feel free to reach out to our employment law team at: [email protected].
Download Your Free Employment Contract Template (PDF)
Looking to hire in Poland? We’ve made it easier for you. You can now download our free employment contract template, ready in PDF format.
It’s a solid starting point to create your own employment contract that covers key areas like employment terms, employee’s salary, and job responsibilities – all in line with Polish law.
While this free resource will help you move faster in your hiring process, we always recommend a quick consultation with our legal team to make sure your final contract fits your employer’s business perfectly and offers full legal protection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Employment Contracts in Poland
What must an employee contract in Poland contain?
A Polish employee contract must clearly outline employment terms such as employee’s salary, job title, employment period, employee’s responsibilities, and company policies. To ensure proper legal protection, it should also include rules about paid time, personal leave, and termination date. Without these details, an own employment contract may not comply with local laws.
Can I use my own employment contract or do I need a legal template?
While drafting your own employment contract is possible, it carries significant risk. A standardized contract template reviewed by professionals ensures compliance with employment policies, clarifies employee details, and strengthens your legal remedies if a dispute occurs. Using improper terms may expose you to violations regarding minimum wage, severance pay, and other benefits.
How can the parties agree on job responsibilities and changes?
In Poland, when parties agree on changes to an employee’s responsibilities or job title, they must document it through a formal annex or written notice. This protects mutual understanding and minimizes risks of misunderstandings about employee’s pay, advanced notice, or retirement plans.
What is the difference between a trial period and a fixed term contract?
A trial period contract allows employers to test a new employee’s suitability, usually for up to three months. A fixed term contract, by contrast, is for longer engagements but still has a specified termination date. Both require written agreements defining employment policies, employee’s rights, and consequences of employee termination.
When is severance pay mandatory upon employee’s termination?
Severance pay is typically owed when most employees are terminated under group layoffs or under specific conditions defined by Polish labor law. It depends on the employment period, the reason for terminate employment, and the applicable employment contract terms. Employers must handle it carefully to avoid costly dispute resolution cases.
How is minimum wage applied in Poland for full-time employment?
The minimum wage is mandatory for all full time employment contracts and must be reflected in the employee’s salary stated in the employment contract. Failure to comply affects not just employee pay, but also calculations for overtime pay, vacation time, and severance agreements.
Are non disclosure agreements and clauses important in employment contracts?
Yes, non disclosure agreements (NDAs) and non disclosure clauses are crucial in protecting confidential information, trade secrets, and the employer’s business. They must be precisely defined within the entire agreement to ensure enforceability during and after the employment period.
What legal protections exist if the employment relationship ends badly?
If an employee breaches the employment contract or there are disputes over job responsibilities, employee details, or termination dates, Polish law offers legal remedies through labor courts. Having a well-drafted agreement covering advanced notice, written notice, other employment, and dispute resolution terms is vital for protecting both parties’ interests.
