New regulations on employment length are coming into force in the public sector.
As of 1 January 2026, rules for determining employment length in the public sector will change and have significant implications for employers. Employment length will include not only periods of employment under an employment contract, but also other forms of professional activity, provided that they are properly documented (in particular, by certificates issued by the Social Insurance Institution – ZUS). The law has not introduced any time limits, which means that earlier periods of professional activity may also be counted toward employment length.
The following, among others, will be included in employment length:
- operating a business,
- work under mandate and agency contracts,
- work abroad,
- periods covered by the “start-up relief” scheme.
Public sector employees have until 31 December 2027 to submit documents confirming the new periods to be included in their employment length.
Additional years counted toward employment length may accelerate the attainment of employee entitlements, including the right to 26 days of annual leave, parental leave, and long-service awards, and within the framework of employer-specific employment length may affect the length of notice periods and the amount of severance pay.
Analogous solutions will enter into force only as of 1 May 2026 in the private sector, and employees will have 24 months from that date to submit documents confirming the periods to be counted toward their employment length.