All About Employee Leave & PTO in Poland
Learn what you need to know about leave requirements in Poland and how Justworks EOR can help you streamline hiring.
How an EOR Can Help with Employee Leave & PTO
Thinking about hiring in Poland? Make sure you're up to speed on the country's rules around paid vacation and employee leave. Justworks takes the guesswork out of compliance with our all-in-one global employer of record (EOR) solution. We’ll help you craft leave policies that follow Polish labor laws and meet local expectations for time off. Whether it’s understanding statutory entitlements or managing broader HR tasks, Justworks is your go-to partner for hiring in Poland.
Employee Leave & PTO Expectations in Poland
Employees in Poland are entitled to receive paid vacation leave, time off for the 13 national public holidays, maternity and paternity leave, vacation leave, sick leave, and certain other leaves of absence.
Vacation Leave
In Poland, the amount of paid vacation a worker receives depends on their tenure. Employees with less than 10 years of employment are entitled to 20 days of vacation per year, while those with 10 or more years receive 26 days annually.
Sick Leave
In Poland, employers must provide medical leave. Employees under 50 are entitled to 33 days, while those over 50 entitled to 14 days per year. Regardless of duration, medical leave is paid at 80% of an employee’s salary. However, if the illness or injury is work-related, the leave is paid at 100%.
After the initial sick leave period, payment shifts to the state social security department. Employers and employees can also agree to unpaid leave at any time. Employers can’t terminate a contract with notice while an employee is on sick leave, typically for six to nine months.
Maternity/Paternity Leave
Employees in Poland are eligible for paid parental leave upon the birth of a child, funded by social security. Parents can jointly take up to 41 weeks of leave for the birth of one child or 43 weeks for multiple children. If the child has a qualifying disability, the leave increases to 65 weeks for one child or 67 weeks for multiple children. Both parents share the right to this paid leave.
Parental Leave
Parents in Poland can take up to 36 months of unpaid parental leave within the first six years of a child’s life to provide care. This leave can be split between both parents, but the total combined leave can’t exceed 36 months. Parents or guardians may take leave simultaneously, and during this time leave can spread across five separate periods. For employees raising a child with a disability, the same 36-month leave is available until the child turns 18. Employees must notify their employer at least 21 days before the planned start date of the leave.
Other Types of Leave
Employees in Poland are entitled to one to two days of paid occasional leave per year for significant family events, such as their wedding, the birth of a child, or the death of a close relative. To take this leave, employees must provide appropriate documentation to their employer.
Public Holidays in Poland
Employees in Poland are entitled to the following paid public holidays each year:
New Year’s Day – January 1
Epiphany (Three Kings) – January 6
Easter Sunday (First Day of Easter) – Variable
Easter Monday (Second Day of Easter) – Variable
Labor Day – May 1
Constitution Day – May 3
Pentecost (First Day of Pentecost) – Variable
Corpus Christi – Variable
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – August 15
All Saints’ Day – November 1
Independence Day – November 11
Christmas Day (First Day of Christmas) – December 25
Second Day of Christmas – December 26
Employees required to work on public holidays must be paid at a higher rate. Employees required to work on a Sunday or holiday without a substitute day off are entitled to supplemental overtime pay.
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