Leave policy in Poland

Hiring in a foreign country unlocks new opportunities, but it also comes with a set of responsibilities towards employees. If you’re planning to hire in Poland, understanding local employment laws is essential for building a sustainable and compliant workforce. It is essential to review the leave policy in Poland to understand the time-off entitlements to which your employees are legally entitled.

From annual leave in Poland to parental and sick leave, local labour laws set clear standards that are legally binding and critical to cultivating a productive work environment.

In this guide, we will explore the leave policies in Poland, enabling you to plan your operations accordingly.

Annual leave in Poland

Employees are entitled to a structured annual leave policy in Poland. Here’s what the annual time-off framework looks like:

Employment period less than 10 years	Up to 20 days
Employment period 10 years or more	Up to 26 days

To reach 26 days, an employee’s education plus work experience is counted (A degree = 8 years + 2 years work experience = 10 years).

Work experience during the degree does not count.

The annual leave in Poland is calculated proportionally for part-time employees. For example, if the part-time work entails half the timings of full-time employment policies, the leave equals 10 or 13 days.

Public holidays in Poland

Leave policies in Poland outline 14 public holidays in a calendar year. All official work is supposed to remain suspended on these days. Here is a comprehensive list of public holidays observed across the country:

Date	Holiday
1 Jan	New Year’s Day
6 Jan	Epiphany
20 Apr	Easter Sunday
21 Apr	Easter Monday
1 May	Labor Day
3 May	Constitution Day
8 Jun	Whit Sunday
19 Jun	Corpus Christi
15 Aug	Assumption Day
1 Nov	All Saints’ Day
11 Nov	Independence Day
24 Dec	Christmas Eve
25 Dec	Christmas Day
26 Dec	2nd Day of Christmas

Sick leave policy in Poland

Employees are entitled to 182 days of paid leave in the event of illness, injury, or medical condition. In case of pregnancy or Tuberculosis, employees get 270 days of sick leave.

The amount of pay for sick leaves is 80% of the regular salary, paid by the employer for the first 33 days, and later by the ZUS.

Maternity leave in Poland

Poland’s employment laws have strict policies regarding maternity leave, and female employees are entitled to full pay during the maternity leave period. The Social Security Institute covers maternity pay at 100% of the employee’s salary.

The employee is entitled to use up to 6 weeks of maternity leave before the expected date of birth. The rest can be utilized after the child is born. 

The number of children influences the duration of this leave:

1 child	20 weeks
2 children	31 weeks
3 children	33 weeks
4 children	35 weeks
5 or more children	37 weeks

If an employee has not utilized the leave before childbirth, then the maternity leave begins on the day of birth. After childbirth, the employee is entitled to 14 weeks of compulsory leave. 

However, they might renounce the remaining 6 weeks of leave and return to work, provided that the father has utilized the remaining leave period. 

Women who lose a pregnancy at any stage are entitled to 8 weeks of maternity leave with 100% benefit.

Paternity leave in Poland

A paternity leave for up to 2 weeks is applicable for fathers raising their child. However, this leave can be either taken altogether or in two parts (typically not shorter than a week). 

Parental leave in Poland

The leave policy in Poland suggests that employers grant mandatory parental leave to employees. 

• 32 weeks in the case of one child
• 34 weeks in the case of multiple children

The pay rates are as follows:

• Standard Leave: The initial 6 weeks of leave are compensated at 100% of the salary.
• Multiple Births: For multiple births, the first 8 weeks are paid at 100% of the salary.
• Extended Leave: All remaining weeks of leave are compensated at 60% of the salary.

Training leave

Employees are entitled to training leave if they are undergoing professional training. This is what the duration framework is.

For extramural examinations	6 Days
For matriculation examinations	6 Days
For professional qualifications	6 Days
For diploma examinations and thesis	21 Days

Carer’s leave

Employees who need to provide personal care or support to a family member with serious medical issues are entitled to 5 days of carer’s leave per year. 

Other leave policies in Poland

In addition to the time-off mentioned above, leave policies in Poland extend to the following types of special leaves:

• Time required to appear in court, police, and public authorities
• Blood donation leave
• Wedding, death‑related leaves (2 days / 1 day)
• Force majeure leave (2 days or 16 hours at 50% pay)
• Job‑seeker leave (2-3 days, depending on notice period)

Explore Payoneer Workforce Management in Poland

Poland’s comprehensive leave policies cover several types of leave. For employers managing the leave entitlement framework, it can be troublesome, especially across a distributed workforce.

Payoneer Workforce Management can assist you in handling employment contracts, payroll, benefits, timesheets, and more effectively. 

Book a demo today!

FAQs

1) How many annual leave days are there in Poland?

Employees in Poland are entitled to either 20 or 26 days of paid annual leave, depending on their total years of employment. Less than 10 years of employment grants 20 days, while 10 or more years grants 26 days. Educational periods can also count toward this total.

2) What are the public holidays in Poland?

Poland observes 14 public holidays annually, including New Year’s Day, Easter Monday, Constitution Day, All Saints’ Day, and Christmas. 

3) Do part-time employees get the same leave benefits in Poland?

Yes, but proportionally. Part-time employees in Poland are entitled to annual leave calculated based on their work schedule. For example, an employee working 50% of full-time hours would receive half the standard leave entitlement.