PIP and ZUS Inspect Pyszne.pl Amid Courier Layoffs and Contract Changes

The State Labour Inspectorate and the Social Insurance Institution have launched inspections at Pyszne.pl following announcements of mass layoffs affecting 5,000 couriers.

Inspections Launched at Pyszne.pl

The Ministry of Family announced on Tuesday that the State Labour Inspectorate (PIP) and the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) have initiated inspections at Pyszne.pl. The actions are a reaction to information regarding planned mass layoffs of couriers and the possibility of rehiring them under less favorable conditions.

Last week, management at Takeaway Express Poland sp. z o.o., operating under the Pyszne.pl brand, informed couriers of planned layoffs that would result in 5,000 workers previously employed on civil law contracts losing their jobs. Trade unions report that these 5,000 individuals are to be offered re-employment through one of five selected fleet partners under different terms.

Ministry and Labour Inspectorate Intervene

Following these reports, Labour Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk requested that the Chief Labour Inspector conduct an urgent inspection of the employment basis for couriers at Pyszne.pl. Dziemianowicz-Bąk stated that if it is determined couriers should have been employed under employment contracts, regulations on mass layoffs would apply, obligating the employer to consult with trade unions and pay severance.

Head of PIP Janusz Krasoń declared that the planned termination of civil law contracts will not stop inspections, and where justified, the agency will order the conversion of these contracts into standard employment relationships. Krasoń emphasized that the termination or expiration of a civil law contract during an inspection will not prevent the issuance of a decision confirming an employment relationship.

Social Insurance Institution Audits Platform Workers

The Ministry of Labour reported that ZUS has also begun inspection activities related to the social security of platform workers. ZUS noted that if insurance titles do not correspond to the work actually performed, the institution can determine the correct insurance title and hold entities liable for contributions up to five years retroactively.

Minister Dziemianowicz-Bąk stressed that the state, including the ministry, Zus, and PIP, will continue to react to signals regarding unlawful civil law contracts or other employment forms used in place of standard employment contracts across the delivery industry.

Union Representatives Sound the Alarm

On Monday, a press conference was held in the Sejm with representatives of OPZZ Konfederacja Pracy. Stanisław Kierwiak, a board member of the union representing Pyszne.pl couriers, highlighted that couriers previously worked on mandate contracts with guaranteed hourly rates and bonuses.

Kierwiak noted that the company announced on July 14 that it would begin dismissing all couriers starting August 3, with the process concluding by the end of the month. Re-employment offered through fleet partners does not include guaranteed minimum wages or essential work tools such as backpacks and uniforms, meaning couriers will be paid solely per completed delivery.

EU Platform Work Directive and Next Steps

Union representatives appealed for accelerated implementation of the EU platform work directive and effective enforcement of minimum hourly rates. The EU directive, adopted in 2024 with a member state implementation deadline of December 2026, aims to protect couriers working for platforms like Pyszne.pl, Glovo, and Uber, including those hired through intermediaries.

The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy recalled that the draft law implementing the EU directive is ready, and a request to include the project in the government’s legislative work schedule is planned for submission by the end of July.