Employees on labor contracts working night shifts in Poland will receive increased pay starting May 1, 2026, based on minimum wage adjustments.
Night Shift Pay: Who is Eligible?
According to Article 1517 of the Polish Labor Code, nighttime is defined as the period between 9:00 PM and 7:00 AM. An employee is considered a night worker if their work schedule includes at least three hours of work within this timeframe each day.
Alternatively, an employee is considered a night worker if at least ¼ of their total working time within a settlement period falls during nighttime hours.
Calculating Night Shift Pay: Hourly vs. Flat Rate
Employees working during nighttime hours are entitled to an additional payment for each hour worked. The amount of this addition is 20% of the hourly rate calculated based on the current minimum wage.
As of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage is 4,806 PLN gross. Employers can establish a higher rate than stipulated in the Labor Code. Calculating the night shift addition requires knowing the minimum wage and the number of working hours for a given month.
For employees consistently working nights outside the workplace, the hourly addition can be replaced with a flat-rate payment corresponding to the anticipated amount of nighttime work.
Legal Basis
Article 1518 of the Labor Code stipulates that employees working at night are entitled to a supplement to their remuneration of 20% of the hourly rate resulting from the minimum wage, as determined by separate regulations.
For employees working at night regularly outside the workplace, the supplement mentioned in § 1 may be replaced by a flat rate corresponding to the expected amount of night work.
Night Shift Pay Rates in 2026
Starting May 1, 2026, the night shift addition will increase to 6.01 PLN per hour worked, compared to 5.72 PLN in April.
Monthly Night Shift Addition Amounts
The following table shows the night shift addition per hour and the total addition for each month in 2026, based on a minimum wage of 4,806 PLN:
January: 160 hours, 6.01 PLN/hour
February: 160 hours, 6.01 PLN/hour
March: 176 hours, 5.46 PLN/hour
April: 168 hours, 5.72 PLN/hour
May: 160 hours, 6.01 PLN/hour
June: 168 hours, 5.72 PLN/hour
July: 184 hours, 5.22 PLN/hour
August: 160 hours, 6.01 PLN/hour
September: 176 hours, 5.46 PLN/hour
October: 176 hours, 5.46 PLN/hour
November: 160 hours, 6.01 PLN/hour
December: 160 hours, 6.01 PLN/hour
