Poland expands workplace health support: regional ergonomics program and nurses' early pension push

The Podlaskie regional government in Poland launched the "Healthy Officer" program to improve the well‑being of its civil servants. Funded with 3.6 million zł (3.3 million zł from EU funds), the initiative runs until the end of 2027 and provides ergonomic furniture, safe‑working‑post training, psychological and pedagogical counselling, free preventive medical checks, and six relaxation zones for staff working at computers.

Separately, the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Council appealed to the health ministry and Parliament, urging that nurses and midwives employed in high‑stress settings such as emergency rooms, psychiatric units and infectious‑disease wards be granted early bridge pensions. The body argues that the physical and psychological demands of these roles match those of medical rescue teams, which already receive such benefits, and calls for legal changes to broaden the list of occupations eligible for the pension scheme.