Labour Code Remote-Work Rules & Seniority Reforms Take Effect
New Labour Code amendments requiring written remote-work policies and counting civil-law work toward employee seniority are now in force. Employers face compliance deadlines and heightened National Labour Inspectorate audits of contract classification.
Poland's Labour Code (Kodeks pracy) has undergone substantial reforms in 2026, with the most operationally significant changes affecting remote work arrangements and how employment seniority is calculated for benefits.
Remote-Work Policy Requirements
Employers must now maintain a written remote-work policy that specifies the conditions under which remote work is permitted, the equipment provided by the employer, the reimbursement mechanism for home-office costs, and the inspection rights of the employer. Policies that pre-date the current rules and have not been updated are technically non-compliant, even if the underlying arrangements function smoothly in practice.
Seniority Calculation Expanded
The amendment to the Labor Code fundamentally restructures how work seniority (staż pracy) is calculated for purposes of employment entitlements. This reform addresses longstanding inequities between workers engaged under traditional employment contracts and those working under civil law arrangements or as self-employed contractors. Under the new provisions, periods of employment under civil law contracts (umowa zlecenie, umowa o dzieło) where the individual was subject to social insurance contributions, periods of conducting registered business activity (działalność gospodarcza), and periods of work performed under other documented arrangements meeting specified criteria may be credited toward work seniority.
Inspection & Enforcement Risk
The ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) has increased audit activity targeting companies that engage individuals on B2B terms where the economic reality resembles an employment relationship. Reclassification of such arrangements results in back-payment of social contributions, interest, and penalties.
If you are a foreigner working in Poland on a civil-law contract (umowa zlecenie) or B2B arrangement, your previous professional activity in Poland or abroad—if documented and subject to social contributions—may now count toward your seniority for annual leave and other entitlements. Discuss this with your employer's HR department. If you suspect your contract is misclassified as a B2B when it should be an employment contract (umowa o pracę), the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) can formally reclassify it, securing back contributions and protections.
Sources
Independent app, not a government. General information, not advice. The official source:
