New Polish regulations effective 2025 replace rigid government office hours with flexible schedules, including possible night shifts.
Flexible Work Hours Introduced
Regulations effective from 2025 end the long-standing uniform 8:00 to 16:00 workday for central government offices and selected state institutions. Unit heads can now set start times between 7:00 and 10:00.
This allows offices to operate on different schedules; one might open at 7:00 and close at 15:00, while another opens at 10:00 and closes at 18:00, adapting to citizen needs and institutional specifics.
Extended Mandatory Service Hours
A key requirement is ensuring public service access at least once weekly between 8:00 and 18:00. Offices must organize schedules to accommodate this, typically extending hours one specific day like Monday or Wednesday.
This change benefits private-sector citizens previously needing leave to access services, increasing availability and reducing morning peak traffic.
Shift Work and Night Availability
New rules permit shift work, with shifts spanning from 6:00 one day to 6:00 the next. While standard night work isn’t widespread, it aids continuous-operation units like those handling state security, IT systems, or international cooperation.
This reflects the growing role of 24/7 digital public services, including ePUAP and online tax platforms.
Compensatory Time Off and Managerial Flexibility
Regulations allow setting additional days off, potentially including Saturdays, to be worked later, provided staff are informed in advance. This, useful for holidays or efficiency, was previously informal but now has legal backing.
Managers can decide on such compensatory schedules within the Labor Code’s daily work time limits.
Scope of New Regulations
The rules apply only to designated state institutions. Employees of local governments (municipalities, county offices, voivodeship offices) are covered by separate public sector labor law. Private sector rules remain governed by the Labor Code and internal regulations.
