HR Radar 05/2025

Reduced working time

On 28 April 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (“MRPiPS”) announced the launch of a pilot program to apply reduced working hours. The program's main goals are to reduce working hours while maintaining the same salary.

The ministry is expected to present detailed rules for the program by 30 June 2025, and launch a recruitment process for employers in the following months. It was also announced that a special team on reduced working hours will be established at the ministry.

Higher Social Security compensation for accidents at work and occupational diseases

From 1 April 2025, higher rates of compensation apply for those who have suffered permanent or long-term injuries due to an accident at work or an occupational disease.

The new rates will be effective from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

What are the most important rates?

1. Single compensation in the amount of PLN 1,636 for each percentage of permanent or long-term health injury, as well as for each percentage increase of such injury by at least 10 percentage points.
2. Single compensation in the amount of PLN 28,636 based on the insured's total inability to work and inability to live independently.

A government team will reform the State Labour Inspectorate

On 10 April 2025, a special team was set up in MRPiPS to draft legislation to reform the State Labour Inspectorate.

The team’s main tasks include:

• to develop legislative proposals to increase the effectiveness of the State Labor Inspectorate’s tasks;
• to present solutions to increase the social protection of persons performing work under civil law contracts.

Reinforcing the authority of the State Labour Inspectorate is a milestone of Poland's National Reconstruction Plan.

The Ombudsman's (“RPO”) report on whistleblowers

On 2 April 2025, the Ombudsman has published a summary of the external whistleblower reports it received in the period from 27 December 2024 to 31 March 2025.

What are the report’s conclusions?

1. The RPO received 229 cases, of which, only 79 met the formal conditions.
2. Most reports concerned violations related to the financial interests of the State Treasury, local government units, and the European Union.
3. The RPO most often refused to hear cases in which the information was not obtained in a work-related context or did not concern matters specified in the act.

Verification of drivers' credentials

From 2 April 2025, employers can efficiently check an employee's driving credentials in the mObywatel app.

It is enough to enter the name, surname, and blank document number. Until now, this was only possible to via a website.

Control of foreigners' benefits

The government has published the assumptions of a draft act on verifying the right to family benefits for foreigners and amending certain acts.

The new regulations are designed to make foreigners' entitlement to social benefits conditional on engaging in labour activity. State authorities are to be given broader authority to verify that foreigners meet conditions to be entitled to receive benefits.