Why Warsaw Faces 111,600 ZUS Checks in Three Months

27 July 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

The government increased ZUS sick leave checks, affecting former employees and small firms. Learn what expats must know.

The Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) ran 111,600 controls in Q1 2026. ZUS sick leave checks now include former employees and small employers. Consequently, Warsaw residents face a higher chance of being inspected.

Table of Contents

ZUS sick leave checks: who is targeted?

The new law took effect on April 13, 2026. It broadened who may be checked. In addition, ZUS can inspect people who no longer work for a given employer. Moreover, employers who have fewer than 20 employees now gain inspection rights. Previously, only employers with more than 20 insured workers could act directly. Therefore, smaller shops, cafes, and private services in Warsaw now may carry out checks.

Numbers and financial impact

In Q1 2026 ZUS issued 5,300 decisions to stop sick pay. Consequently, it held nearly PLN 10 million. In addition, ZUS reduced benefits by PLN 64 million for 30,300 people. However, the stop decisions applied to under 5 percent of controls. For perspective, ZUS performed 486,400 inspections in 2024. Moreover, total reductions and recoveries reached roughly PLN 260 million that year.

What changed in the law and how it matters

The amendment from December 18, 2025 clarified what counts as paid work. It also defined activity that contradicts the purpose of a sick note. Therefore, ZUS gains the right to visit a declared place of stay. It may also request information from employers and doctors. In addition, staff can formally identify the person under inspection. However, ZUS does not run independent social media monitoring. Instead, it uses material supplied by employers or tip-offs.

Consequently, a holiday photo alone will not automatically cancel benefits. Nevertheless, a photo can become evidence in a control. Therefore, context matters. For example, a picture from a mountain hike counters a spinal diagnosis more than a photo from a café affects psychiatric leave.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: If you hold a Polish sick note (e-ZLA), check the “place of stay” field. You must update any change within three days via PUE ZUS (the online employer and citizen portal). Also, keep written medical recommendations. In case of a control, present them immediately. Finally, understand that ZUS rules apply even after a job ends, and your employer may now perform checks in small companies.

Recoveries can hit hard. The law forces repayment of the entire incorrect benefit. Moreover, ZUS charges statutory interest from the day after each payment. Therefore, months of paid sick leave can become a large debt. However, you get seven days to comment on a control report. In addition, you can appeal ZUS decisions to a social insurance court.

From January 1, 2027, doctors can issue a sick note for only one employment title. Consequently, dual employees may legally take leave for one job while working the other, if health allows. This change will reduce risk for people with multiple part-time jobs.

Finally, in Warsaw the control happens at the address shown on the e-ZLA. Therefore, if you stay elsewhere, update your record. Keep proof of the update on PUE ZUS. Otherwise, a missed visit can weigh against you in the review.

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