Poland: Expansion of PIP Competences

On 7 April 2026, an Act amending the State Labour Inspectorate Act and certain other Acts was published. Most of the new provisions will come into force on 8 July 2026. The amendment provides for a significant expansion of the competences of the State Labour Inspectorate (PIP), in particular with regard to the classification of employment relationships.

By way of reminder only of the information indicated in the previous issue, the most important changes are as follows:

• the power to issue orders to remedy violations related to the performance of work under civil law contracts in situations where the actual conditions indicate the existence of an employment relationship;
• the decision of the district labour inspector will specify the date of conclusion of the employment contract, as a rule, as the date on which the decision is issued. Where a civil law contract is terminated or cooperation ceases during the course of proceedings, the date on which the inspection commenced will be treated as the date on which the employment relationship was established. The decision will become enforceable upon the unsuccessful expiry of the appeal period or following a final court ruling;
• the Chief Labour Inspector will acquire the power to issue interpretations in individual cases concerning the classification of a given legal relationship as an employment contract;
• a prohibition on retaliatory action against employees whose contract has become the subject of a decision.

The bill provides for the majority of the new provisions to enter into force three months after the date of their publication.