What this guidebook covers
From 8 July 2026, an amendment to the Labour Code raised fines to PLN 60,000 (PLN 90,000 for a repeat offence) and on-the-spot fines to PLN 5,000. An inspector from PIP (the National Labour Inspectorate) can also convert a civil law contract into an employment contract, which means back-paid ZUS social security contributions for the whole period.
This guidebook covers 5 labour law standards for dealers and workshops, with 11 checkpoints: the right type of contract, recorded working time, pay on time, holidays granted, and complete employee records. The guidebook PDF is in Polish.
The 5 labour law standards
| Code | Standard | Ideal fix time |
|---|---|---|
| PRA-01 | Right type of contract | 30 days |
| PRA-02 | Working time recorded | 7 days |
| PRA-03 | Pay on time | Immediate |
| PRA-04 | Holidays granted | 30 days |
| PRA-05 | Employee records | 30 days |
How to run a Polish labour law audit, step by step
- Confirm what applies. Include everyone who works fixed hours under supervision, such as mechanics and advisers on civil law contracts; the 2026 amendment also allows remote inspections, so check the electronic records too.
- Walk the site, standard by standard. Score each of the 11 checkpoints Pass, Fail or N/A. N/A only where the standard rules it out, with the reason recorded. Review all civil law contracts, compare working time records with the entry system, and check 3 months of salary transfers, the holiday records and 10 personnel files.
- Capture the evidence. A pass counts only with proof captured at the time of the audit: the list of contracts, working time records, bank statements, holiday records and personnel files.
- Give every fail an owner and a fix time. Record what you saw and who owns the fix. Each standard carries an ideal fix time, from immediate to 30 days, counted from audit submission (see the table above).
- Fix it, then prove it. The site fixes the cause and uploads proof of closure; the auditor checks the proof before closing the finding.
- Re-check at the next audit. Confirm closed findings stay closed, and look for the same fail at your other sites so one gap doesn't repeat across the network.
Who this guidebook is for
- Boards: the new fines
- HR and payroll: contracts and time records
- Auditors: checking documents the way PIP does
A reference document, not legal advice. Fines and rules change: check the current text with the regulator or your legal adviser before acting.
