Free online invoicing software
with KSeF support
For years, people working under civil-law contracts and sole traders have been deprived of many key rights available to employees. No annual leave, no entitlement to severance pay and even no way to demonstrate length of service in recruitment are everyday realities for hundreds of thousands of Poles working outside traditional employment contracts. However, from January 2026, new provisions will radically change this situation, offering a chance to “recover” lost years of professional activity.
A revolution for the self-employed and those on “junk contracts”
Until now, years worked under civil-law contracts or running a business did not count towards length of service. Even after many years of work, these people were treated as though their professional experience did not exist, producing absurd results when calculating employee entitlements, especially leave and severance pay.
The new provisions aim to change this. Including professional activity outside employment will help millions cross key thresholds, such as ten years of service entitling them to 26 days of annual leave. It will also open the door to longer notice periods, higher severance pay and public administration recruitment, where length of service has been a central requirement.
Accounting that understands your business
Leave your email address and receive guides supporting your business’s growth once a week
What does the reform mean in practice?
The new law restores fairness for those who worked for years without their efforts being formally recognised. For many, it will offer real career development: demonstrating experience outside traditional employment will open opportunities for promotion or changing roles. Candidates previously excluded from recruitment in public administration or state institutions will gain new opportunities.
New challenges for employers
The changes will revolutionise not only employees' situations but also companies. HR departments should already begin reviewing documentation to identify people entitled to include new periods in their length of service. It will be important to implement systems processing additional data, prepare verification procedures and train HR teams in the new rules.
Remember that the new length-of-service calculation will also increase employer costs. More leave days, more frequent severance payments and longer notice periods bring not only organisational challenges but additional expenditure. Companies must factor these changes into budgeting and employment policy.
Time to prepare
Although the reform takes effect in 2026, it is worth treating the forthcoming changes now as an opportunity to organise HR processes and build more transparent employee relationships. Transparency and equal treatment of all team members can underpin a strong organisational culture.
If you found this article interesting, explore our HR and payroll services and read how we can help you:
Summary
At TaxCoach, we help companies prepare for the new rules, from documentation analysis to implementing new HR solutions. Want to navigate this revolution calmly and without mistakes? Contact us and we will guide you through the changes step by step.
Interested in this article?
Enter your email address and once a week you will receive practical materials and tips to help you grow your business.
Book a free consultation
Grow your business with accounting combined with advisory services:
or
