Shifting Pregnancy Costs: Proposed Reform to Social Security Benefits amid Demographic Crisis

A new parliamentary bill proposes transferring the burden of pregnancy-related sick pay from employers to the Social Security Fund (FUS) to mitigate systemic discrimination and address Poland’s worsening demographic decline.

Legislative Path to Demographic Stability

The legislative proposal, filed as document no. 2416, seeks to amend the Labor Code and the Act on Cash Benefits from Social Insurance. Following its first reading in the Sejm on June 9, 2026, the bill aims to bolster family support and fulfill constitutional obligations to protect maternity and combat systemic workplace discrimination.

The core reform involves transitioning the payment of 100% of sick pay for pregnant employees from employers to the Social Security Fund (ZUS) starting from the very first day of medical leave, removing the traditional financial penalty for companies.

A Nation in Demographic Decline

Poland faces a stark population decrease, falling from 37.65 million in 2023 to 37.332 million by the end of 2025. Birth rates continue to plummet, with approximately 238,000 births recorded in 2025, while deaths outnumbered births by 168,000 in the same period.

Statistical authorities identify low fertility rates, a shrinking population of women of childbearing age, and high emigration among young adults as primary drivers of this trend. Experts emphasize that professional instability and the lack of accessible housing remain the most significant barriers to family expansion.

Workplace Disparities and Recruitment Bias

Employment contracts provide the only robust legal protection for pregnant women, yet the reliance on civil law contracts remains high, with over 1.5 million people working on such terms as of late 2025. For pregnant workers on civil law contracts, access to benefits is delayed by 90 days, leaving them vulnerable.

Recruitment data indicates that employers, particularly small businesses, frequently view potential pregnancy as a financial risk. Under current laws, employers must cover 100% of wages for the first 33 days of illness, often compounded by the secondary costs of hiring temporary replacements.

Fiscal Impact and Implementation

According to 2023 ZUS data, pregnancy-related absence accounted for 14.2% of all sick leave, costing employers approximately 11 billion PLN annually. The proposed reform carries an estimated additional cost of 1.5 billion PLN per year for the Social Security Fund.

The legislation includes transitional provisions, ensuring that the ZUS assumes payment responsibility for existing sick leaves immediately upon the law’s enactment. Officials expect the fiscal burden to be partially offset by an increase in employees transitioning from civil law contracts to standard employment contracts.