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A regulation of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration came into force on 1 January 2026 extending until 30 June 2026 the period during which Belarusian citizens can apply for a Polish travel document for foreigners.
In 2026, the annual working time will increase by 16 hours compared to 2025 (2,008 hours vs. 1,992 hours). This will have a direct impact on shift planning, payroll budgeting and working time limits within settlement periods. July is a particularly important month as it has the highest number of working hours in the year (184 hours). Incorrect planning could result in overtime at the scheduling stage.
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.
In 2002, Locatrans, a transport company based in Luxembourg, employed a French national as a driver, whose employment contract was governed by Luxembourg law. The driver initially worked in various European countries, but over time began to carry out transport mainly in France, which in 2014 resulted in the obligation to register the driver in the French social security system. In the same year, after refusing to reduce the driver’s working hours, Locatrans terminated the driver's contract.
The Senate has made amendments to the reform of medical certification in the Social Insurance Institution which are intended to streamline the process of certifying incapacity for work.
As of 1 June 2025, county administration offices were obliged to refuse to initiate EU Blue Card proceedings for Ukrainian residents who were enjoying temporary protection on the application date as a result of amendments to the Aliens Act. Due to the lack of relevant changes to the so-called special Ukrainian legislation this effectively meant that Ukrainians with this status could not apply for an EU Blue Card either.