Vacation is an integral part of work’s conditions. Different types of leave are used depending on their purposes and reasons. Information about possible holidays in Poland can be found on the state web portal. Here we provide overview information.

Vacation leave (Urlop wypoczynkowy).

Annual leave is an annual, continuous, and paid break from work. The leave is provided in kind. An employee cannot waive the right to vacation.

An employee who starts work for the first time receives the right to first annual leave at the end of each month of work, in the amount of 1/12 of the amount of leave to which he is entitled after working for a year. For each month he is entitled to 1/12 of 20 days (1.66 days).

The right to subsequent leaves is acquired in each subsequent calendar year.

The amount of leave depends on the overall length of service, all periods of employment. This:

• 20 days, if employment period is shorter than 10 years,
• 26 days with at least 10 years of work experience.

The period of employment that determines the amount of leave includes periods of completed education.

An employee may use 4 days of vacation at his/her request, which the employer takes into account (so-called "vacation on demand").

At the request of the employee, vacation can be used in parts, and one part must be at least 14 consecutive calendar days.

At the employee's request, she is granted leave immediately after maternity (parental) leave. This also applies to an employee who is father raising a child while on maternity or paternity leave.

If the leave is not used in a calendar year, it is granted until September 30 of the following year.

Leave is granted on days that are working days for the employee, in accordance with the applicable working time schedule, in hours corresponding to the employee's daily working time on a given day.

The leave is paid and the employee is entitled to the same remuneration as he/she would have received if he had been working during that time.

Unpaid leave (Urlop bezpłatny).

This is a leave during which the rights and obligations of the parties to the employment relationship are suspended. The employee does not perform work and the employer does not pay remuneration. It is granted at the written request of the employee. As a rule, the period of unpaid leave is not included in the working periods on which employee rights depend.

Carer's leave (Urlop opiekuńczy).

The leave is provided for personal care or support of a person who is a member of a family or household and who requires care or support for serious medical reasons. A family member is considered to be a son, daughter, mother, father or spouse. For this reason, the employee can take 5 days of leave.

Training leave (Urlop szkoleniowy).

It is granted to an employee who improves their professional qualifications, i.e. who acquires knowledge on the initiative or with the consent of the employer. This is paid leave.

Leave from work (Zwolnienia od pracy).

Leave from work are breaks in work provided for by law, commonly referred to as the so-called occasional holidays. These exemptions are granted due to special circumstances:

• to settle personal and family matters,
• to perform social or civic duties.

Leave from work due to force majeure (Zwolnienie od pracy z powodu działania siły wyższej).

A separate leave from work is leave due to force majeure in urgent family matters caused by illness or accident. It can be used if the employee's immediate presence is necessary. The leave is granted for 2 days or 16 hours.

Here we provide only overview information. Full information about possible holidays in Poland can be found on the state web portal.