# Polish employment and leave regulations > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/polish-employment-and-leave-regulations > Updated: 2026-09-06T07:45:14.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 3. Reports from Poland highlight various aspects of employment law and worker leave entitlements. In the Podkarpacie region, the first half of 2026 saw over 514,000 medical leaves, totaling more than 6 million days of absence, primarily due to respiratory infections, back pain, and stress. Legal guidelines specify that medical leave is intended for recovery, and performing work during this period may result in the loss of sickness benefits. Additionally, a medical certificate can interrupt scheduled annual leave, requiring employers to reschedule the unused portion. Regarding vacation rights, employees are entitled to up to four days of ‘on-demand’ leave per year, which is drawn from their standard annual leave pool. Unused vacation from a previous year must be utilized by September 30 of the following year. To avoid labor law violations that carry fines between 1,000 and 30,000 PLN, employers have the legal authority to schedule overdue leave themselves if employees have not submitted requests. While claims for unused leave remain subject to a three-year statute of limitations, psychological experts note that proper vacation planning is essential for mental health. Under the Polish Labor Code, sick leave protections against termination are not indefinite. Employers may terminate a contract without notice if illness-related incapacity exceeds three months for employees with less than six months of tenure. For longer-tenured staff, the standard limit is 182 days, though this can extend to 270 days for specific conditions like pregnancy or tuberculosis. These limits apply to cumulative absences if intervals between leaves are less than 60 days. National data from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) indicates a massive scale of absenteeism, with 27.5 million medical certificates issued in 2025, totaling 290.5 million days of absence. ## Claims - Unused leave from the previous year must be utilized by September 30 of the following year. (single source) - An employer can schedule unused leave without the employee's consent. (single source) - An employment relationship is established if duties are performed under the employer's supervision and specific time/place constraints. (single source) - Employers misclassifying employees as mandate contract workers instead of full-time staff can face fines of up to 60,000 PLN. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-06: Poland: Employment protections and limits for sick leave Polish Labor Code regulations specify that employees on long-term sick leave may face contract termination once certain limits are exceeded, depending on their length of employment. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/poland-employment-protections-and-limits-for-sick-leave ### 2026-09-04: Poland labor law: Deadline for unused annual leave Polish employees must use unused annual leave from the previous year by September 30. Employers may schedule this leave themselves to comply with labor laws and avoid significant fines. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/poland-employment-regulations-regarding-vacation-leave ### 2026-08-26: Podkarpacie records 514,000 medical leaves in first half of 2026 In Podkarpacie, Poland, over 514,000 medical leaves were issued in early 2026. Regulations clarify that sick leave interrupts annual vacation and requires recovery-focused behavior to maintain benefits. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/podkarpacie-records-514000-medical-leaves-in-first-half-of-2026 --- Cite as: Polish employment and leave regulations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/polish-employment-and-leave-regulations