Starting in 2026, Polish employees can include periods of civil law contracts and self-employment in their total work history, potentially qualifying them for more vacation days and seniority-based bonuses.
Work History Recognition Reforms
New regulations now encompass employees across all sectors, both private and public. This significant change allows individuals who previously worked under civil law contracts (umowy zlecenie) or operated their own businesses to include these periods in their official employment record.
The scale of this shift is substantial, affecting over 1.5 million people who worked on civil law contracts in 2025 and nearly 3 million active entrepreneurs. These groups can now request certification from ZUS to recognize their past professional activity.
Eligibility and Calculation of Benefits
The primary benefit for many will be an increase in annual leave. Under current law, employees with at least 10 years of service are entitled to 26 days of vacation instead of 20. By including previously excluded periods—such as years spent on service contracts or self-employment—many workers will now exceed this 10-year threshold.
ZUS has clarified that these changes apply specifically to labor rights, including vacation entitlement, seniority bonuses, and jubilee awards. Crucially, these new rules do not affect pension calculations or age requirements for retirement.
Application Process and Deadlines
These benefits are not applied automatically; employees must initiate the process. Individuals can request the necessary certification through their electronic accounts in the eZUS system, where a dedicated “stażowe” wizard is available to generate the application.
There is a strict deadline for documentation. Employees in the public finance sector have 24 months starting from January 1, 2026, to provide the certification to their employer, while those in the private sector have 24 months from May 1, 2026.
