POLAND PEO & EOR
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DID YOU KNOW
- Vodka is the traditional drink of Poland, and is generally served at every celebratory event.
- Poland is home to a variety of different species including grey wolves, elk, brown bears, bison, deer, wildcats, and wild pigs.
- Polish nationals protested Soviet Rule in the 1980s and won, leading to the nation becoming the Republic of Poland in 1989.
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Poland PEO Services
A resilient economic powerhouse in Central Europe
This economic powerhouse in Europe prides itself on its vast range of career opportunities, low living costs, historic beauty, and stunning scenery. With a central European location, Poland enjoys a combination of Western and Eastern European cultures, and it is an ever-growing destination of choice for foreign workers and investors.
Poland is notable for being the only European economy which continued to grow when the rest of the continent went into recession, during the 2008 global financial crash. This economic resilience, along with its wealth of opportunities, are just some of the reasons why so many global multinationals, including GSK, Volkswagen, RBS, and T-Mobile, have established major operations here.
Poland is one of the primary destinations of choice for graduates, and the country is popular for providing graduate opportunities in Banking, IT, Logistics, Telecommunications and Chemical Manufacturing. The tourism sector is also booming, with the country observing an increase of around 18 million tourist arrivals since 2006.
With a gross domestic product of $594bn, Poland boasts the 9th largest GDP in Europe.
Working in Poland
Financial Year Dates
The fiscal year in Poland is as per the calendar year, 1st January to 31st December.
Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Poland is 4,666 PLN per month for full-time employees, based on a standard 40-hour workweek.
Standard working hours
Poland’s working hours follow similar patterns to other European nations. An average working day should not exceed eight hours, and this is generally spread out to 40 hours throughout a 5-day working week. The most common working hours for employees are 8am to 4pm on weekdays and 8am to 2pm on Saturdays.
Employers should offer an hour unpaid lunch break during an employee’s shift, however it is generally uncommon for Polish workers to take lunch during the day.
Overtime
Polish law mandates that any overtime work must be compensated at a higher rate than the employee’s normal salary rate. If an employee exceeds their standard working hours, overtime compensation becomes obligatory. The maximum allowable overtime is 48 hours per week (up to 150 hours annually).
Overtime includes work that exceeds the standard working hours for the employee, as well as work that goes beyond any extended daily working hours determined by the employee’s work schedule.
Under Article 1511, § 1, for overtime work, employees are entitled to the following additional compensation:
- 100% of the regular pay for overtime work performed during the night, on Sundays and public holidays that are not regular working days for the employee, on a non-working day granted in exchange for working on a Sunday or holiday, as per the applicable work schedule.
- 50% of the regular pay for overtime work on any other day not covered by (1).
- Alternatively, the employer may offer the employee time off instead of overtime pay, as stipulated by law. In such cases, the employee is not entitled to additional overtime compensation.
Holiday Allowance
All employees are entitled to annual paid holiday, with the duration based on both their years of employment and their level of education. For instance, an employee with a higher education degree is credited with the equivalent of eight years of service.
New employees are eligible for paid holiday based on the number of months they have worked. For each month worked, they earn 1/12th of their total annual holiday entitlement. Part-time employees also have holiday rights, calculated according to the number of hours worked. Any partial holiday day is rounded up to a full day.
Employers are required to ensure that employees take at least 14 days of paid holiday leave.
Unused annual leave days can be carried over to the next year, but employees must use them by September 30th of the following year. Employers are not permitted to pay out unused holiday time unless the employment relationship is ending.
Sick Leave
In Poland, employees who are unable to work due to illness, isolation, or a contagious disease are entitled to sick leave for up to 3 days per year. Employees aged 50 or older are entitled to up to 14 days of paid sick leave per year, with compensation at 80% of their regular salary if the illness extends beyond that.
Employees are eligible for up to 182 days of paid sick leave annually. For the first 33 days of sick leave within a calendar year, employers must pay the employee 80% of their salary. After 33 days, the Social Security Institute (ZUS) covers the remainder of the sick leave at 80% of the employee’s base salary. For employees aged 50 or older, the employer is only responsible for the first 14 days of sick leave, after which ZUS covers the rest.
Employees are entitled to 100% of their salary if they fall ill during pregnancy or if they are injured while commuting to or from work. In these cases, the Social Security Institute compensates for any remaining salary differences.
Maternity & Paternity Leave
Female employees in Poland are entitled to paid maternity leave, with the duration depending on the number of children born or adopted. For adoption, the child must be seven years old or younger. The maternity leave periods are as follows:
- 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
The Social Security Institute provides 100% salary compensation during maternity leave. Employees may start maternity leave up to 6 weeks before the expected due date. It is mandatory for employees to take at least 14 weeks of maternity leave immediately following childbirth. Any unused maternity leave after the 14-week mandatory period can be transferred to the child’s father.
In addition, mothers are entitled to breastfeeding breaks. Employees working more than six hours a day are entitled to two 30-minute breaks, while those working fewer than six hours are entitled to one 30-minute break each day.
Employees are also eligible for up to two weeks of paid paternity leave within the first 24 months after the child’s birth. For adoptive parents, this 24-month period begins from the date of adoption, provided the child is under seven years old. Paternity leave can be split into two periods, with each period being no shorter than one week. The Social Security Institute pays 100% of the employee’s salary during paternity leave.
Public Holiday
Poland observes a variety of public holidays in which employees are not required to work, as follows:
- New Year’s Day
- Epiphany
- Easter Sunday
- Easter Monday
- Labour Day
- Constitution Day
- Whitsun
- Corpus Christi
- Assumption of Mary & Armed Forces Day
- All Saint’s Day
- Poland Independence Day
- Christmas Day
- 2nd Day of Christmas
Social Contributions
Both employers and employees are required to contribute to the Polish social security system, which includes health insurance, pensions, and other social welfare programs.
Employers:
- Social Security (Pension, Health Insurance, etc.): 20.48%
- Accident Insurance: 1.67%
Employees:
- Social Security (Pension, Health Insurance, etc.): 13.71%
- Health Insurance: 9%
Income Tax
Poland operates a progressive income tax system with rates ranging from 12% to 32%. The first 120,000 PLN of annual income is taxed at 12%, with income above that taxed at 32%.
- Residents: Taxed on their worldwide income.
- Non-residents: Taxed only on Polish-sourced income.
Health Care
Poland provides universal healthcare through its public healthcare system, funded by mandatory health insurance contributions. While public healthcare is available to all residents, many individuals opt for private healthcare services for faster treatment and higher quality care. Employers and employees contribute to the healthcare system via payroll deductions.
Visas
Poland is part of the European Union and offers various visa options for foreign nationals looking to work, invest, or live in the country, including:
- Work Visa: Foreign nationals seeking employment must apply for a work visa, which requires sponsorship from a Polish employer.
- Business Visa: Entrepreneurs and investors can apply for a business visa to establish or operate a business in Poland.
- Temporary Residence Visa: Allows foreigners to live in Poland for up to 1 year.
- Family Reunification Visa: Available for family members of foreign nationals working in Poland, subject to specific requirements.
By choosing Gibson Watts Global as your Employer of Record (EOR) in Poland, you can seamlessly tap into the Polish market while ensuring compliance with all local laws and regulations. Let us manage the details so you can focus on growing your business in this dynamic and vibrant economy.
13th salary?
Poland does not have a statutory requirement for a 13th salary, though it is common in some sectors to provide bonuses or additional payments during the holiday season, especially in industries such as finance and engineering.
Cultural Information
The official language of Poland is Polish, and despite English being common across the country, individuals who are relocating to Poland should attempt to obtain a basic grasp of the Polish language.
Family values and work-life balance are extremely important parts of Polish culture. Weekends are usually reserved for family life and spending quality time with loved ones.
Poland’s primary religion is Roman Catholic, and around 90% of people identify with this religious affiliation.
Polish people are known for their friendly and welcoming manner, and foreigners who are visiting Poland will notice this hospitality immediately.
