Managing employee leave and vacation entitlements is a critical aspect of compliance and employee satisfaction when operating in Poland. Polish labor law provides clear guidelines on various types of leave, ensuring employees receive adequate time off for rest, illness, family matters, and other significant life events. Understanding these regulations is essential for employers to maintain legal compliance and effectively manage their workforce.
Navigating the specifics of annual leave, public holidays, sick leave, and parental leave requires careful attention to detail. Employers must ensure that their policies and practices align with the statutory requirements set forth in the Polish Labor Code. This includes correctly calculating entitlements, processing leave requests, and ensuring appropriate compensation during periods of absence.
Annual Vacation Leave
Employees in Poland are entitled to a minimum amount of paid annual leave, the duration of which depends on their total length of employment. This includes periods of previous employment and certain educational periods.
The minimum annual leave entitlement is:
- 20 days for employees with less than 10 years of total employment history.
- 26 days for employees with 10 or more years of total employment history.
The total employment history includes periods of previous employment and specific educational periods (e.g., vocational school adds a certain number of years, secondary school adds more, higher education adds 8 years, regardless of the actual duration of study). These educational periods are not cumulative; only the highest level completed is considered.
Leave is typically granted based on a leave plan agreed upon by the employer and employees or their representatives. Employees should generally take their entitled leave within the calendar year it is granted. Any unused leave from the previous year must be taken by September 30th of the following year. Employees must be paid their regular salary during annual leave.
Public Holidays
Poland observes several public holidays throughout the year. On these days, employees are generally entitled to a day off with pay. If a public holiday falls on a Saturday, employees are typically granted an additional day off.
Here are the public holidays observed in Poland in 2025:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day |
| January 6 | Epiphany |
| April 20 | Easter Sunday |
| April 21 | Easter Monday |
| May 1 | Labour Day |
| May 3 | Constitution Day |
| June 8 | Pentecost Sunday |
| June 19 | Corpus Christi |
| August 15 | Assumption Day |
| November 1 | All Saints' Day |
| November 11 | Independence Day |
| December 25 | Christmas Day (First Day) |
| December 26 | Christmas Day (Second Day) |
Sick Leave
Employees in Poland are entitled to paid sick leave when they are unable to work due to illness or injury. The right to sick pay is established after a qualifying period, typically 30 days of uninterrupted employment for those employed under an employment contract.
Sick pay is generally calculated based on the employee's average monthly salary from the 12 months preceding the illness. The rate of sick pay depends on the reason for absence:
- 80% of the average salary for most illnesses.
- 100% of the average salary for illness during pregnancy, illness resulting from an accident on the way to or from work, or illness resulting from necessary medical examinations or organ/tissue donation.
For the first 33 days of sick leave in a calendar year (or 14 days for employees over 50), the sick pay is funded by the employer. After this period, sick pay is funded by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). The maximum period for receiving sick pay is generally 182 days, or 270 days for illness during pregnancy or tuberculosis.
To receive sick pay, employees must obtain a medical certificate (e-ZLA) from a doctor, which is electronically sent to the employer and ZUS.
Parental Leave
Polish law provides comprehensive entitlements for parents, including maternity, paternity, and parental leave.
Maternity Leave
Female employees are entitled to maternity leave upon the birth of a child. The duration depends on the number of children born during one birth:
- 20 weeks for one child.
- 31 weeks for two children.
- 33 weeks for three children.
- 35 weeks for four children.
- 37 weeks for five or more children.
A portion of maternity leave (up to 6 weeks) can be taken before the expected delivery date. After the mandatory portion of maternity leave (usually 14 weeks), the mother may transfer the remaining part to the father. Maternity leave is paid at 100% of the average salary.
Paternity Leave
Fathers are entitled to paternity leave of 2 weeks. This leave can be taken at any time until the child reaches 12 months of age or until 12 months have passed since the adoption decision became final. Paternity leave is paid at 100% of the average salary.
Parental Leave
After using the full maternity leave (or adoption leave), parents are entitled to parental leave. This leave can be taken by one or both parents simultaneously (up to a combined maximum duration).
The maximum duration of parental leave is:
- 41 weeks for one child.
- 43 weeks for multiple births.
Parental leave is paid at 70% of the average salary. Parents can choose to receive 81.5% of the average salary for both maternity and parental leave combined, provided they apply for the full combined period within 21 days of the birth. Each parent has an exclusive right to 9 weeks of parental leave that cannot be transferred to the other parent.
Adoption Leave
Employees adopting a child are entitled to adoption leave, similar in duration to maternity leave, depending on the number of children adopted. They are also entitled to subsequent parental leave.
Other Types of Leave
In addition to the main categories, Polish law provides for other types of leave under specific circumstances:
- Bereavement Leave: Employees are entitled to paid leave upon the death of a family member: 2 days for the death of a spouse, child, mother, father, stepmother, or stepfather; 1 day for the death of a sister, brother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandmother, grandfather, or other dependent person or person under the employee's direct care.
- Leave for Force Majeure: Employees are entitled to 2 days or 16 hours of paid leave per year due to urgent family matters caused by force majeure, in case of illness or accident, if the employee's immediate presence is indispensable. This leave is paid at 50% of the employee's salary.
- Childcare Leave: Parents raising a child under 14 are entitled to 2 days or 16 hours of paid leave per year to care for the child. This leave is paid at 100% of the salary.
- Study Leave: Employees pursuing education may be granted paid leave for specific purposes related to their studies, such as attending classes or preparing for exams, according to agreements between the employer and employee.
- Unpaid Leave: Employees may request unpaid leave for personal reasons. Granting unpaid leave is at the employer's discretion. The period of unpaid leave does not count towards the employee's length of service for calculating annual leave entitlement.
- Sabbatical Leave: While not a statutory entitlement for all employees, sabbatical leave may be granted based on internal company policy or collective agreements.
