PRO HR August 2026

A significant number of employers already have anti-mobbing procedures in place. However, the new legislation requires employers with at least 10 employees to establish rules, procedures and the frequency of their actions aimed at preventing violations of employees’ dignity and other personal rights, as well as breaches of the principle of equal treatment in employment, discrimination and mobbing.

This follows from the judgment of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw of 8 April 2026 (case No III SA/Wa 2554/25). The court confirmed that holding the position of a management board member does not prevent the member from also providing additional services to the company at the same time under a separate civil-law agreement. In particular, this applies to services that go beyond the management of the company’s affairs and its representation, such as sales activities or professional business intermediation.

An employer should grant employees annual leave in the year in which they become entitled to it. If the leave is not used in a given year, it becomes outstanding leave.

This is a result of legislation implementing the “Women on Boards” Directive entering into force. The legislation requires a gender balance on the governing bodies of companies. Companies must achieve at least 33% representation of the underrepresented gender collectively on their management and supervisory boards, while also ensuring the presence of women on each of these bodies.

The length of the notice period is prescribed by law. In some cases, the parties to an employment contract may agree that the notice period will differ from the statutory period. This is permissible.

As of 2 April 2026, new standards concerning asbestos entered into force:

  1. The maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of asbestos fibres in workplace air has been reduced tenfold – from 0.1 to 0.01 fibres/cm³.
  2. A requirement has been introduced to accurately identify and designate six specific types of asbestos fibres in the workplace: chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite and actinolite.
Authors

Piotr Lewandowski

Attorney-at-law / Partner

Since the beginning of 2010, Piotr has been supporting clients in the People & Culture area, in particular in the field of labour law and social security.

In particular Piotr specialises in:

  • preparation of internal acts, e.g. labour, remuneration and bonus rules and regulations,
  • advice and drafting of redundancy documents,
  • litigation of employment claims,
  • implementation of procedures against mistreatment,
  • conducting internal investigations regarding mobbing, discrimination and other forms of mistreatment,
  • relations with trade unions.

Co-manages the firm’s litigation practice.

Katarzyna Serwińska

Tax Advisor / Partner

Since 1992, Katarzyna has been supporting clients in the People & Culture area, in particular in the field of employee taxes and social security.

In particular Katarzyna specialises in:

  • taxation and social security contributions for foreigners working in Poland and Polish employees working abroad,
  • optimising the labour costs of management board members and senior managers,
  • implementing tax-optimal structures for the employment of employees in Poland (e.g. 50% copyright costs, B2B, civil-law contracts, etc.),
  • assessing the tax implications of granting cash and in-kind benefits to employees and non-employees, including share-based incentive schemes,
  • capital gains taxation.

 

Paulina Zawadzka - Filipczyk

Attorney-at-law / Senior Lawyer

Since 2017, Paulina has been supporting clients in the area of People & Culture, with particular focus on employment law, employee pension schemes (PPK, PPE), and employment documentation.

Paulina specializes in:

  • conducting court litigation,
  • employee pension schemes (PPK, PPE, etc.),
  • workforce restructurings, including collective redundancies,
  • drafting and implementing HR policies,
  • preparing employment contracts and other employment-related documentation,
  • providing legal advice on recruitment, dismissals, remuneration, and workplace conflict resolution,
  • advising within the “HR without Paper” project aimed at the digitalization of HR processes.

Anna Boguska, PhD

Attorney-at-law / Senior Lawyer

Since 2016, she has been supporting clients in the People & Culture area, in particular in the field of labour law and social security. She advises employers on solving day-to-day HR problems.

Anna specialises in particular in litigation. She has extensive experience in disputes concerning termination of employment contracts and related claims, overtime, determining the existence of an employment relationship, mobbing, discrimination or accidents at work.

Rafał Jaroszyński

Attorney-at-law / Senior Lawyer

Since 2003, Rafał has been supporting clients in the area of People & Culture, particularly in matters of individual and collective labour law and social security.

Rafał specialises in particular in:

  • relations with trade unions,
  • supporting clients in mediations and negotiations with employee representatives,
  • collective labour agreements,
  • the Company Social Benefits Fund and other forms of employee benefits,
  • designing internal sources of employment law (by-laws, procedures, agreements),
  • workforce restructurings, including collective redundancies,
  • preventing bullying and discrimination,
  • working time,
  • social security,
  • preventing bullying and discrimination.

Monika Czekanowicz

Attorney-at-law / Lawyer

Since 2013, Monika has been supporting clients in the People & Culture area, in particular in the field of labour law and social security, and occupational health and safety.

In particular Monika specialises in:

  • implementation of occupational health and safety management systems,
  • implementation of fire protection projects,
  • development of accident prevention, in particular premedical first aid procedures,
  • supporting diversity in the workplace,
  • countering mobbing and discrimination,
  • workforce restructuring, including collective redundancies.