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Once you’re legally employed in Poland, the Polish Labour Code (Kodeks pracy) governs your working hours, overtime pay, leave entitlement, and termination rights — regardless of your nationality. This guide summarises the key protections that apply to airport ground-service workers in Poland in 2026.
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Standard Working Hours
The standard working week in Poland is 40 hours, typically organised as 8-hour shifts across a settlement period (usually a rolling 4-month reference period for shift-based ground-service work, which can be extended in some sectors). Ground-handling and airport roles commonly operate on rotating shift patterns, including nights, weekends, and public holidays, to match round-the-clock flight and cargo schedules.
Overtime Pay
Overtime is paid at a premium: 50% above the standard hourly rate for overtime on weekdays and during the day, and 100% above the standard rate for overtime at night, on Sundays, and on public holidays. Employers can offer time off in lieu instead of overtime pay, but only with the employee’s agreement (or automatically at a higher time-off ratio if the employer chooses this without the employee’s request).
Paid Annual Leave
Employees are entitled to either 20 or 26 days of paid annual leave per year, depending on total years of employment/education-adjusted seniority (26 days applies once total qualifying work/education experience reaches 10 years). Leave accrues from the start of employment and unused leave in some circumstances can carry over into the following year.
Public Holidays
Poland observes 13 public holidays per year. Employees required to work on a public holiday are entitled to a substitute day off or premium pay, in line with the overtime rules above.
Contracts and Termination
Polish employment is typically structured as either a fixed-term contract (umowa na czas określony) or an indefinite contract (umowa na czas nieokreślony) after a probationary period. Notice periods for termination scale with length of service — commonly 2 weeks for under 6 months of employment, 1 month for 6 months to 3 years, and 3 months for over 3 years of service. Termination must follow proper written notice and, for indefinite contracts, a valid stated reason.
Health and Safety Protections
Employers are legally required to provide safety training, protective equipment where relevant (especially for airside, warehouse, and security roles), and regular occupational health checks. Airport employers must also carry out site-specific safety induction covering airside hazards, restricted-area rules, and emergency procedures before granting airside access.
Social Security and Benefits
Employers and employees both contribute to Poland’s social insurance system (ZUS), which covers healthcare, pension, and sickness/accident benefits. Legally employed workers, including non-EU nationals on a valid work permit, are covered by the same public healthcare and social insurance system as Polish citizens.
Probation Periods
Polish employment contracts commonly start with a probationary period of up to three months, during which either party can end the contract with a shorter notice period than applies to the main contract. This is standard practice across ground-handling and logistics employers and is not something to be concerned about — it works the same way for local Polish hires as it does for international workers.
Rest Periods Between Shifts
Polish labour law guarantees a minimum uninterrupted daily rest period of 11 hours and a minimum weekly rest period of 35 hours, which shift-based ground-service rosters are legally required to respect, even when shifts rotate across days, nights, and weekends. If you’re ever scheduled with less rest than this between shifts, that’s worth raising directly with your employer or, if unresolved, the National Labour Inspectorate (Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy, PIP).
Sick Leave and Illness Benefits
Employees who fall ill are entitled to sick pay funded partly by the employer and partly through the ZUS social insurance system, provided they submit a valid medical certificate. This applies to legally employed non-EU workers on the same basis as Polish nationals, since ZUS contributions are made on your behalf as part of standard payroll.
Discrimination and Equal Treatment Protections
Polish labour law prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of nationality, and legally employed foreign workers are entitled to the same core protections — minimum wage, working-time limits, leave entitlement, and health and safety standards — as Polish citizens performing the same role. If you believe your rights are being violated, the National Labour Inspectorate is the government body responsible for investigating labour-law complaints.
Where to Get Help
The Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy (PIP / National Labour Inspectorate) is the primary government body overseeing workplace rights in Poland and can be contacted regarding disputes over pay, hours, safety, or unfair treatment. Many larger cities also have organisations supporting migrant workers with free or low-cost advice in multiple languages — it’s worth researching what’s available locally once you arrive, even if you don’t expect to need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Poland’s minimum wage in 2026?
Poland’s statutory minimum wage is reviewed and adjusted periodically by the government — always check the current published rate for the relevant year rather than relying on a fixed figure, since ground-service pay in this guide is generally set above minimum wage but should still be checked against the current statutory floor.
Can my employer change my shift pattern without notice?
Significant, permanent changes to your working conditions generally require proper notice and, in some cases, a formal contract amendment; short-term operational shift swaps are common in ground-handling work but should still respect the minimum rest-period rules above.
What happens if my contract isn’t renewed?
Fixed-term contracts can lapse at their agreed end date without triggering the same notice-period rules as terminating an indefinite contract, though repeated renewals of fixed-term contracts are regulated to prevent indefinite use of temporary status — this is worth understanding if you’re offered a series of short fixed-term contracts.
Union Representation and Collective Agreements
Some ground-handling and aviation-security employers in Poland operate under collective bargaining agreements negotiated with trade unions, which can set pay scales, shift-premium rates, and working conditions above the statutory minimums described in this guide. It’s worth asking during your interview or offer stage whether your specific employer and role are covered by such an agreement, since this can materially affect your actual pay and conditions beyond the legal floor.
Maternity, Paternity, and Parental Leave
Poland provides statutory maternity, paternity, and parental leave entitlements that apply to all legally employed workers, including non-EU nationals on a valid work permit, funded through the ZUS social insurance system. These entitlements are separate from annual leave and follow their own eligibility and notice rules — HR at your employer can provide the specific current entitlements if this is relevant to your situation.
Workplace Grievance and Dispute Procedures
Most ground-handling employers have an internal grievance procedure for raising concerns about pay, scheduling, or treatment before escalating externally. If an internal resolution isn’t reached, the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) and, for more serious disputes, Poland’s labour courts are the formal channels available to all employees regardless of nationality.
Breaks During a Shift
Polish labour law requires a minimum rest break during any shift longer than 6 hours, with longer shifts entitling employees to proportionally longer or additional breaks. Ground-handling rosters are built around these requirements, though the exact timing of breaks during a shift is coordinated around operational needs like flight banks and cargo waves.
Record-Keeping and Payslips
Employers are legally required to provide itemised payslips showing gross pay, all deductions (tax and ZUS contributions), and net pay, and to maintain accurate working-time records for every employee. Keeping your own copies of payslips and contracts is good practice, particularly for international workers who may need this documentation for future visa renewals or residence applications.
Changing Jobs Within Poland
Once you hold a valid residence permit (rather than being tied strictly to an initial work-permit-linked visa), changing employers within Poland generally becomes more straightforward, though the exact rules depend on your specific permit type. Workers planning to build a longer-term career in Poland should ask their employer or an immigration adviser about the transition from an initial work-permit visa to a more flexible residence-based status.
Understanding Your Employment Contract
Before signing, check that your contract clearly states your job title and duties, base salary, working-hours structure, probation period length, notice periods, and any allowances or benefits discussed during the offer stage. Polish employment contracts are legally required to be provided in writing, and it’s reasonable to ask for a translated copy or a colleague’s help reviewing it if Polish isn’t your first language.
Final Checklist for New Employees
- Read your contract fully before signing, and ask for a translated copy if needed.
- Keep copies of every payslip and official document you receive.
- Know that the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) is available if you ever need to raise a workplace concern.
- Understand your probation length, notice period, and leave entitlement from day one.
