Leave rules · 2026
Annual leave and sick leave rules in Poland (2026)
Employees in Poland get at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year on a 5-day week (4 weeks). Sick leave: paid.
Rules as of September 2026 · page built Monday, September 28, 2026Statutory minimums
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20 days a year (160 hours)
Statutory minimum 20 days on a 5-day week at 0 years of service.
This is the legal floor for Poland; the contract can give more.
| Service | Minimum (5-day week) | In weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting entitlement | 20 days | 4 weeks |
| After 10 years | 26 days | 5.2 weeks |
20 days with under 10 years of service, 26 days from 10 years (Labour Code art. 154). Years of education count toward service.
Worked exampleA full-time employee on a 5-day week gets at least 20 days a year; after 10 years, 26 days.
What the rules mean in practice
In Poland, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 4 weeks, rising to…
In Poland, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 4 weeks, rising to 26 days after 10 years of service. The legal wording: 20 days with under 10 years of service, 26 days from 10 years (Labour Code art. 154). Years of education count toward service.
Compared with the other 37 jurisdictions LeaveCalc covers, that starting minimum is higher than 20, the same as 8 and lower than 9. Across all of them the range runs from 5 days (the Philippines) to 30 days (the United Arab Emirates). 20 days is about 7.7% of a 260-day working year.
Length of service raises the floor once: 26 days after 10 years.
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. For 2026, the public holiday calendar for Poland lists 14 holidays, 8 of them on working days. An employee who has all 8 weekday holidays off on top of the 20-day minimum is away from work on at least 28 weekdays in 2026.
Sick leave: Sick pay at 80% of salary from the employer for the first 33 days a year, then social security; not an accrued balance. LeaveCalc rates this entry High confidence, based on the official sources listed below as of September 2026.
Public holidays
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. See the 2026 and 2027 public holiday dates for Poland, with .ics downloads.
Sources
- https://www.gov.pl/web/gov/urlop-wypoczynkowy
- https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU19740240141
As of September 2026. Statutory minimums only: contracts, collective agreements and local rules can give more.
Questions about leave in Poland
The statutory minimum is 20 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (4 weeks).
How many days of annual leave do employees get in Poland?
The statutory minimum is 20 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (4 weeks). 20 days with under 10 years of service, 26 days from 10 years (Labour Code art. 154). Years of education count toward service.
Does annual leave increase with length of service in Poland?
Yes. The minimum starts at 20 days a year and steps up with completed years of service: 26 days after 10 years.
Is sick leave paid in Poland?
Yes. Sick pay at 80% of salary from the employer for the first 33 days a year, then social security; not an accrued balance.
Are public holidays part of annual leave in Poland?
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. In 2026 the calendar for Poland has 14 public holidays, 8 of them on working days.