August extra day off: what expats need to know

30 July 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

The additional day off Poland falls in August; employers must schedule it or face fines. Read practical advice for expats.

The government requires an additional day off Poland this August because a public holiday falls on a Saturday. Consequently, employers must give another day off within the payroll period or risk a fine.

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Why the extra day matters and how hours are counted

Polish labour law reduces a full-time monthly work quota by eight hours for any non-Sunday public holiday. Moreover, employers cannot force employees to make up that time. Therefore, in August 2026 full-time staff must have a 160-hour work quota, not 168 hours. In addition, if a roster shows more hours, the employer must correct it. If they do not, employees can claim overtime or call the State Labour Inspectorate. Also, the law stems from a 2012 Constitutional Tribunal ruling on equality.

Who gets the extra day and who does not

Only employees on a contract of employment qualify. However, contractors, freelancers and sole traders do not. In addition, people who normally work on Saturdays do not get another day off. Consequently, retail or hospitality staff who work Saturdays see the holiday itself as the day off. Moreover, the right applies only if the employment existed on the holiday date. Therefore, someone hired after the holiday date cannot claim the extra day.

Why Warsaw residents see two different dates and what to do

The central government set Friday 14 August for civil servants. However, the Warsaw city mayor chose Friday 21 August for municipal offices. As a result, one office may be open while another closes. Therefore, check which institution you need before you visit. For example, the tax office and provincial office will follow the national schedule. Meanwhile, city district offices will follow the mayor. Consequently, if you must visit both the tax office and the local registry, plan for the week between those dates.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: If you live in Poland, ask HR to confirm the scheduled day before you book travel. Also, request a written calculation of your work hours for the settlement period. Keep in mind common Polish terms: ZUS means social insurance, NFZ is the national health fund, PESEL is your national ID number, and a mandat is a fixed fine. Furthermore, if your employer fails to assign the day and you work 168 hours in August, you can seek overtime pay or report the issue to the Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy. Finally, Warsaw residents can check office hours via the city contact line Warsaw 19115.

Employers face real penalties if they ignore the rule. Specifically, inspectors can fine up to 45,000 zł for breaches. Therefore, many companies set the extra day by internal order well before summer. However, small manual schedules sometimes miss the holiday. Consequently, shift workers and part-timers suffer the most mistakes. In addition, payroll departments must adapt, because the calendar arithmetic decides the legal quota.

For expats, the biggest practical points are clear. First, confirm your employer’s chosen date as early as possible. Second, do not assume that public offices close on the same day across the city. Third, for any dispute keep a written hours calculation from HR. Finally, when in doubt contact the State Labour Inspectorate or a local expat adviser for help.

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