How to read an employment contract: check six fields: contract type, position, place of work, working time, gross salary and payday. The contract must contain the first five by law; it may omit the payday; then the default rule applies. In temporary work, a civil contract (umowa zlecenia) is also common. It is based on the Civil Code, not the Labour Code, so the Labour Code requirements described here do not apply to it.

Which fields must an employment contract contain

Art. 29 §1 of the Polish Labour Code (Kodeks pracy) requires the contract to state the contract type, the type of work, the place of performing it, the working time and the salary with its components listed. That is five of the six fields below; the sixth, payday, the contract may omit, because then the default rule applies.

  1. Contract type: probationary, fixed-term or open-ended. This determines the length of the notice period.
  2. Position and type of work: must match what you actually do. This field affects the scope of required medical checks.
  3. Place of work: a specific establishment or area. It matters if you are later transferred.
  4. Working time: full-time or part-time; it sets the norms and holiday entitlements.
  5. Salary: always the gross amount, with any additional components listed.
  6. Payday and payment method: a specific day of the month and bank account.

Under a civil contract, check above all the gross hourly rate and how the number of hours worked is confirmed.

Why the contract shows a gross amount, not net

The contract states the gross salary, while the account receives less, after social contributions and tax advance are deducted. The difference can be significant and is neither an error nor a deduction; the conversion mechanism is laid out in the text on the civil contract and employment contract. Step by step, from gross to the account, is shown in the article on reading a payslip.

If the job listing quoted a net rate, the employment contract will show the gross amount. If anything is unclear, ask the coordinator before signing.

What is the payday when the contract does not specify one

Salary is paid at least once a month, on a fixed and pre-set date, for work already performed. If the specific payday does not follow from the contract or the pay regulations, the employer must pay it without delay once the full amount is determined, no later than within the first 10 days of the following calendar month. When the set payday falls on a non-working day, the salary is paid one day earlier. Under a civil contract, the payday depends on the contract.

Can you start work without a signed contract

The contract must be concluded in writing before you are admitted to work. If for some reason this did not happen, the employer must confirm to the employee in writing the agreed parties, type and conditions of the contract at the latest on the day work starts, not "later", the same day. Additionally, within 7 days of being admitted to work, the employer provides information on the applicable daily and weekly working time norms and the work schedule.

Provisions less favourable than the law

The contract cannot be less favourable to the employee than labour law. Under an employment contract, deductions other than the statutory ones require your written consent. The settlement rules for a specific offer are given in its description. Under a civil contract, the minimum hourly rate applies, so every hour worked must be paid at least at that rate.

A provision less favourable than the law is replaced by the relevant provisions of labour law. If any provision raises doubt, ask the coordinator about it before signing.

Contract through a temporary employment agency

In temporary work you sign the contract with the agency, while you work at the client's establishment. The contract should indicate who the user employer is and for what period you are assigned to it. The scope of entitlements in this arrangement is described in the text on the rights of a temporary worker.

Before you sign

Ask for a copy to read at your own pace, it is a normal request. Check that all six fields are filled in specifically, not generally. If something is unclear, ask before signing, not after the first payday. Current listings are in job offers, and we will go through the terms of a specific offer before you sign.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a probationary contract and a fixed-term contract?

A probationary period checks whether the parties want to continue working together, and has the shortest notice period. A fixed-term contract runs until a set date. The length of notice is then counted from your tenure with that employer; this is laid out in the text on termination and notice periods. Under a civil contract, the rules and periods of notice follow from the contract and the Civil Code.

Can the employer change the contract terms without the employee's consent?

A change to essential terms (position, salary, working time) happens either with your consent (by an annex, i.e. an amending agreement) or through a notice of change with the notice period observed. Imposing new terms bypassing both paths is not allowed.

Which provisions in an employment contract are void by law?

Provisions less favourable to the employee than the Labour Code are void, even if the employee signed them. The statutory provisions apply directly in their place.

This text describes the general rules. What you are entitled to depends on your type of contract: an employment contract (umowa o pracę) or a contract of mandate (umowa zlecenie). Your own contract and payslip are what count.