Poland's Labour Inspectorate Gains Power to Convert B2B Contracts into Full‑Time Jobs

The State Labour Inspectorate (Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy, PIP) has received new powers that allow it to transform civil‑law contracts—such as contracts of mandate and B2B agreements—into regular employment contracts. The rules, which came into force last week, require the inspector to first consider a complaint from the worker; if an inspection finds a de facto employment relationship, the inspector can issue an order to convert the contract, and if the order is ignored the case is referred to a regional inspector for an administrative decision.

Poland has roughly 300,000 single‑person enterprises that work for a single client under conditions that resemble hidden full‑time employment. Estimates suggest that about 10 % of the more than three million one‑person businesses fit this pattern, making them the primary target of the new inspections. PIP has about 1,500 inspectors nationwide, meaning each officer is responsible for roughly 512 firms, so the agency will prioritize complaints before conducting risk‑based checks in cooperation with the Social Insurance Institution and the Tax Administration.

Employers’ organisations warn that the expanded authority creates legal uncertainty, while public opinion is split: roughly half of Poles support the changes, seeing them as a step toward protecting workers’ rights, while the other half remain skeptical or opposed.