Ukrainians in Poland will be protected from employers with fines of up to 60000 zlotys

In Poland, the responsibility of employers for violations of employee rights is being strengthened. Starting from July 2026, companies can face fines of up to 60 thousand zlotys for illegal pressure, dismissal, or worsening of working conditions after labor relations inspections. This is reported by inPoland.

Poland amends the Labor Code to protect employees

Amendments to the Labor Code introduce a new violation for employers. It concerns cases when an employee is actually performing work as a full-time employee but is registered under a civil law contract.

Now, inspectors of the National Labor Inspectorate of Poland will have the right to administratively determine the presence of labor relations without a separate court decision.

The key criterion will remain the method of performing work, not the name of the contract between the employee and the employer.

Fines for employers in Poland will rise to 60000 zlotys

The new rules will come into effect on July 8, 2026. After the inspectorate's decision, the employer will not be able to dismiss the employee or worsen their working conditions.

Penalties for violations will range from 2000 to 60000 zlotys. Previously, the maximum penalty was 30000 zlotys.

The changes will also apply to:

• violations of working time regulations;
• improper maintenance of employee documentation;
• abuses of civil law contracts.

At the same time, businesses will be given 12 months to voluntarily transfer employees from civil law contracts to labor contracts without the risk of penalties.

If you are interested in working in Poland, we suggest checking out 350,000 job vacancies on the Layboard portal.

For Ukrainians in Poland, this means additional protection against unlawful dismissals and attempts by employers to circumvent labor legislation through non-standard forms of employment.