State and national holidays
PPoland does not have a single law covering all state and national holidays. On the contrary, each holiday is established by a separate law. It should be noted that not all state and national holidays are public holidays. In this respect, the Non-working Days Act of January 18, 1951 (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 1920), which contains a list of public holidays (including several state and national holidays, as well as holidays designated in accordance with the liturgical calendar of the dominant religion (Latin Rite Catholicism – Western).
With regard to the observance of national holidays (and the day of the Polish flag), the Act of January 31, 1980 on the Emblem, Colours and Hymn of the Republic of Poland and on the National Symbols (i.e. Journal of Laws of 2024, item 155) stipulates that the public institutions listed therein shall hoist the Polish flag. This obligation applies to the following holidays:
- February 19 – Polish Science Day (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 181);
- March 1 – National Day of Remembrance of the “Cursed Soldiers” (Journal of Laws of 2011, No. 32, item 160);
- March 24 – National Day of Remembrance of Poles who Rescued Jews under German occupation (Journal of Laws of 2018, item 589);
- April 14 – Baptism of Poland Day (Journal of Laws of 2019, item 656);
- May 1 – Labour Day (Journal of Laws of 1950, No. 19, item 157);
- May 2 – Flag Day of the Republic of Poland;
- May 3 – Constitution Day (Journal of Laws of 1990, No. 28, item 160);
- May 8 – National Victory Day (Journal of Laws of 2015, item 622);
- June 20 – National Day of the Silesian Uprisings (Journal of Laws of 2022, item 1229).
- July 12 – Day of Struggle and Martyrdom of the Polish Countryside (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 1953);
- August 1 – National Warsaw Uprising Remembrance Day (Journal of Laws 2009, no. 206, item 1588);
- August 31 – Day of Solidarity and Freedom (Journal of Laws of 2005, No. 155, item 1295);
- October 19 – National Day of Remembrance of Steadfast Clergy (Journal of Laws of 2018, no. 2156);
- November 11 – National Independence Day (Journal of Laws of 1989, No. 6, item 34);
- December 27 – National Day of the Victorious Greater Poland Uprising (Journal of Laws of 2021, item 2156).
For up-to-date information, visit the GOV website.
Public holidays
Holidays in Poland are defined by law. These include all Sundays and the following days:
- January 1 – New Year’s Day;
- January 6 – Epiphany;
- Easter Sunday;
- Easter Monday;
- May 1 – Labour Day;
- May 3 – Constitution Day;
- Pentecost Sunday;
- Corpus Christi;
- August 15 – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
- November 1 – All Saints’ Day;
- November 11 – National Independence Day;
- December 25 – Christmas Day;
- December 26 – Second Day of Christmas.
Legal basis:
Non-working Days Act of January 18, 1951, i.e. Journal of Laws of 2020, item 1920.
Days that are not marked by calendar dates are determined in accordance with the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church, which is why the dates of these holidays will vary in different years (for example, in 2024 the second day of Easter will fall on April 1, and in 2025 it will fall on April 21).
According to the Labour Code, if a holiday falls on a day other than Sunday, the working time of the employee is reduced by 8 hours. This means that if a holiday falls on a day that is not a day on which the employee works (for example, if the holiday falls on Saturday in the Mon-Fri work system), the employer grants the employee an additional day off.
Legal basis:
Article 130 § 2 of the Labor Code
Holidays for religious minorities
Holidays in Poland are mostly set according to the liturgical calendar of the Catholic (Roman) Church. Most Poles claim membership to this church, but other religious communities are also represented in Polish society. Not all holidays of these communities (even Christian ones) are celebrated on the same days as in the Roman Catholic Church. In order for them to be able to celebrate holidays according to their religion, the law provides for the possibility of obtaining an exemption from work or study for the time necessary to celebrate these holidays. The exemption must be requested from the employer (or school) at least 7 days before the date of the holiday (a later request does not guarantee effectiveness). Exemption from work may be granted on condition that the time of exemption is worked off, without the right to additional compensation for working on holidays or overtime. If a holiday falls on a specific day of the week, the employer shall, upon the employee’s request, establish an individual working schedule for the employee.
Legal basis:
Article 42 of the Act of May 17, 1989 on Guarantees of Freedom of Conscience and Religion (i.e., Journal of Laws of 2023, item 265)
Regulation of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy and the Minister of National Education of March 11, 1999 on exemptions from work or study for persons belonging to churches and other religious associations to celebrate religious holidays that are not public holidays. ( Journal of Laws of 1999 No. 26 item 235) ( Dz.U. 1999 No. 26 item 235)
Poland has more than a dozen laws regulating the relationship of the state to churches and religious associations. Their list can be found on the website of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration.
Some laws governing the state’s relationship with particular churches specifically identify the holidays of adherents of a particular religion that may be affected by the exemption from work or study described above.
For example, with respect to members of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church, the relevant law lists the following holidays, which are celebrated according to the Julian calendar:
- January 7 – Christmas Day;
- January 8 – Second Day of Christmas;
- January 19 – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord;
- April 7 – Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
- second day of Easter;
- August 19 – Feast of the Transfiguration;
- August 28 – Dormition of the Mother of God.
In turn, the following holidays, celebrated according to the Jewish calendar, were established for members of Jewish communities:
- New Year’s Day – 2 days;
- Day of Atonement – 1 day;
- Feast of Booths – 2 days;
- Congregation of the Eighth Day – 1 day;
- Joy of the Torah – 1 day;
- Passover – 4 days;
- Shavuot – 2 days
- for a Sabbath lasting from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday, each week.
In the latter case, a regular holiday celebrated every week requires the establishment of an individual work schedule at the employee’s request.
Legal basis:
Article 11 of the Act of February 20, 1997 on the relationship of the State to Jewish religious communities in the Republic of Poland (i.e., Journal of Laws of 2014, item 1798
para. 1(2) of the Regulation of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy and the Minister of National Education of March 11, 1999 on exemptions from work or study for persons belonging to churches and other religious associations to celebrate religious holidays that are not public holidays (Journal of Laws of 1999 No. 26 item 235). Information current as of: 20/08/2024
Information current as of: .
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