A Polish woman’s late application for parental benefit resulted in reduced payment period, ruled Gdańsk administrative court.
Court Case Overview
The Provincial Administrative Court in Gdańsk ruled on a case concerning parental benefit, commonly known as “kosiniakowe.” The case was brought by a woman who gave birth on September 12, 2024, but submitted her benefit application on July 4, 2025.
The city president determined her right to the benefit from July 1 to September 11, 2025, effectively reducing her entitlement period due to the delayed application.
Parental Benefit Eligibility Rules
Generally, parental benefit is granted for a period of 52 weeks from the child’s birth. However, this is conditional on submitting the application within three months of the child’s birth date.
When an application is submitted after this three-month deadline, the benefit period begins from the month of application rather than from birth, significantly shortening the potential entitlement.
Legal Basis for Decision
The court’s ruling was based on Article 24, paragraph 9 of the Act of November 28, 2004, on family benefits, which explicitly states that benefits shall be due from the month of application if submitted after the statutory deadline.
This legal provision was applied in determining the specific entitlement period for the claimant in this particular case.
